Traffic signs are important for drivers

Dear Editor,

Traffic signs greatly assist careful drivers. It grieves me to see traffic lights that are damaged by errant drivers. Traffic lights, when working, reduce uncertainty for drivers at the various junctions.

I find along Mandela Avenue very useful arrows on the roadways that give guidance to drivers, especially as they indicate the correct lane which a driver should take. However, these road signs need to be constantly repainted before they become faded.

Of concern is the junction on Water Street which turns east alongside Guyana Stores leading to High Street and also branching off south passing Fogarty’s.

At this Water Street junction traffic converges, one line moving from north to south, and then from behind the police outpost travelling from south to north meeting at the junction which is a turn.

I would like to advise the traffic department to place a ‘Yield’ sign for those vehicles travelling south to north giving north to south-bound vehicles the right of way. Many times drivers are hesitant about who has the right of way; at the moment discretion or arrogance prevails, and drivers are not always discreet at all times.

Also, the ‘Yield’ sign at the turn opposite Wight’s Lane in Kingston is barely discernible. Drivers who do not know the area well would be in danger from the police as well as from drivers.

There are very many streets in the Queenstown area where drivers cannot determine whether they are one way or not. I had to reverse quite a distance once when I was caught thus.

The head of these streets should have a ‘One way’ with an arrow indicating which way.

The Traffic Department should also take measures to educate drivers in a traffic build-up to leave the heads of certain streets clear for vehicles entering or leaving. This is particularly so on the East Bank of Demerara. White lines should be drawn to indicate to drivers where they should not stop.

I hope some of these suggestions could be considered by the Police Traffic Department.

Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)