Fatalities down 44% since Safeway – police

Police say Operation Safeway has resulted in a 44% decrease in fatalities between October 25, 2007 and December 31, 2007.

According to the Police, there has been a total of 24 fatal accidents resulting in 27 deaths, compared with 43 fatal accidents resulting in 48 deaths for the same period in 2006.

During the first nine days of this year there was one road fatality, compared with four for the same period in 2007; a decrease of 75 per cent. For this period a total of 1,893 cases have been made against defaulting motorists, 141 of which have been for speeding.

Operation Safeway targeted all offences against the law with particular emphasis on the more serious ones such as speeding, which is recognized as the major cause of road deaths in the country. During Safeway’s period of operation in 2007, police ranks made a total of 14,062 cases against defaulting motorists; 3,489 of which were for speeding. Other prevalent offences were overloaded mini-buses with 2,321 cases; unlicensed drivers 626 cases; failure to wear safety helmet 634 cases; causing obstruction 633 cases; failure to wear seatbelt 543 cases; and failure to conform to signs 621 cases.