Safety council alarmed at number of road fatalities

The Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) is alarmed at the number of road fatalities for the year and urges drivers to exercise the ‘Five Cs’  to avoid accidents.

To date there have been 59 fatal accidents which have resulted in 62 deaths, including three children, the GNRSC said in a press release. “It is time we took this continuous loss of lives seriously and make a determined effort to further reduce the number of accidents on the road,” the council said.

Last year there were 115 deaths including pedestrians and children. “We must try to put a human face on the far from acceptable statistics on the frequency of road accidents,” the GNRSC said, adding that families continue to lose loved ones and the nation its valuable resources.

The GNRSC recognises that the police and concerned authorities, through laws and education, are making a valiant attempt to bring some measure of order on the roadways but said more needs to be done.

Statistics have revealed that many road deaths are caused by indiscipline, speeding, non-adherence to the traffic laws, and by drivers under the influence of alcohol.

“We must conclude from all this that there must be… stricter application of traffic regulations and greater deterrence to the breaking of our traffic laws,” it said, adding that it is prepared to cooperate with citizens who want to make the roadways safe. In this regard, the GNRSC said that road users should employ the ‘Five Cs’—care, caution, courtesy, consideration and common sense—to avoid accidents.