Speeding a factor in more than half of the year’s road fatalities

Speeding has contributed to 24 of the 34 fatal accidents that have occurred for the year, police said yesterday.

There has been a 26% decrease in accidents and fatalities up to the end of May, 2012, when compared to the statistics for the same period last year, police said in a statement.

A total of 46 fatal accidents were recorded up to the end of May, 2011 and which resulted in 47 deaths, including those of two children. Meanwhile, in 2012, there were 34 accidents which resulted in 35 deaths. Two children are among the fatalities so far for this year.

Division ‘A’ Georgetown was said to have accounted for 13 deaths—the highest across the divisions—while ‘C’ & ‘D’ divisions recorded 8 deaths each.

Police further stated that in categories such as serious, minor and damaging accidents, there was a decrease of 15.4%, 15.4% and 19%, respectively, with records showing 162, 226 and 447 respectively in 2011, while there has been 137, 191 and 362 respectively in 2012.

The police credited the recorded reduction of road carnage to the traffic education and rigid law enforcement.

It was pointed out that cases made against errant motorists by ranks of the department up to the end of May, 2012, 16,808 were instituted of which speeding accounted for 6, 932.