Dear Editor,
In Guyana, we have a national crisis in the form of traffic accidents and the consequential injuries and deaths. Many views have been expressed as to the causes. One view is that there are more accidents because of the exponential increase in the number of vehicles on our roads. This is apparently true but let us examine the underlying factors. Vehicles should have competent drivers who respect other drivers and the traffic laws. At some point in time, one of us must have witnessed road rage and the expletives spewed through a vehicle’s window. In the worst of cases, vehicles are used in a combative way by drivers speeding ahead of others or going very close to another vehicle in an act of intimidation. This does not bode well for public safety or civility. Another viewpoint is that many vehicles are not roadworthy. If this is true, there should be periodic inspections of vehicles which need to be enforced. Bribery of the inspecting officers should not be possible. This leads to another possibility and theory. Are people able to obtain a driver’s licence through bribery? We have seen officials charged for such deviant behaviour. Such conduct is providing a licence to kill. It has been witnessed that speeding has been the cause of almost all of these accidents. Therefore, we need to use all possible measures to stop the speeding. This obviously will not be a voluntary act by drivers so we should implement visible speed limits at the entrance of each community. The community could liaise with the traffic department for the erection of such signs. Of course it would be good for each community to have a police officer with a device that monitors speed. Traffic police are seldom seen in Georgetown and its outskirts yet many congregate in front of Woodlands Hospital. Why? Also, harsh fines and penalties need to be imposed on errant drivers. One of the victims of the recent accident at Mahaicony, which resulted in fatalities, reinforced the view that passengers in mini-buses are often reluctant to upbraid the driver when he/she speeds. In many cases, even if a passenger asks to be let out of a bus because the driver does not reduce the speed upon being requested to do so, the driver continues driving. It should be mandatory by law that the driver stops even if no fare is paid by the commuter. Another appalling contribution to vehicular accidents is the use of cellphones and drinking, while driving. This is seen regularly. Suspension and the loss of licences should be the result of such reckless conduct. Drivers no longer stop at the white line on a major road or at pedestrian crossings. Surely, businesspersons with these crossings in front of or near to their business in collaboration with the traffic department, could have these crossings well painted so as to be visible from afar. While learning to drive, I was taught that the law dictated that one should park at least thirty feet from a corner or fire hydrant but it seems that this no longer applies. We see vehicles parking on pedestrian crossings and bus stops. I have even witnessed a policeman regularly parking on a pedestrian crossing in front of his home. Overtaking was previously allowed only on the right side of another vehicle. It is now done on either side and is very dangerous. Our roads are too narrow to condone such overtaking. It is said that most accidents occur while overtaking. Another accident “waiting to occur” is the practice of vendors and windshield cleaners walking among moving vehicles. Residential areas now being used by commercial entities and churches create another hazard for road users because of the human activity and vehicles they attract. There is William Street in Kitty with three churches where on Sundays it becomes almost impassable. The junction at Mandela Avenue and the East Bank public road by Distribution Services Limited (DSL) is a spectacle of dangerous driving, especially by mini-bus drivers plying the East Bank/Linden route. Similarly, at David and Sheriff streets. We also need smoother and wider roads. I am no expert on the cause and impact of vehicular collisions but if two drivers are exceeding thirty miles per hour and they collide, it will almost certainly result in a fatality.
Our primary concern should be to preserve lives and probably our greatest loss of lives is the result of reckless driving. Our roadways do not span a huge area and could be traversed in a relatively short time. Our speed limits should not exceed 40 miles per hour in certain areas of Georgetown and even less in other areas, for example, school districts. Maybe with the oil revenues we could consider building a road through the country, like the Autobahn in Germany, where some drivers could exercise their desire for speed and even enough to do harm to themselves and not to others. No pedestrians or cyclists will be allowed on this road. Another use of the oil revenues which should be given priority should be an abundance of sidewalks/pavements and multi-storey parking. If my suggestion of recommended speed limits faces stiff resistance then I would suggest we have wide enough roads to allocate lanes for varying speeds, as prevails in developed countries.
However, considering these factors, they all reveal a disregard for human lives including one’s own and those of others. What is the origin of such psychoses I ask? I believe that it is a lack of education. Education encompasses morality and not just scholarship. At my former schools, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic (SHRC) primary and Queen’s College (QC), we were constantly exposed to religion. At QC, religious education was a part of the curriculum. It should be re-introduced. I listened to President Granger on Mark Benschop’s radio programme. Benschop asked him what would be his primary focus on the use of the oil revenues and the President said: “Education, education, education.” However, that education should not be restricted to academic achievement. President Granger, you and your government often speak of our valuable human resources. Only recently, Presidential advisor, Mr. Joseph Harmon denounced the high rate of vehicular accidents. Mr. President, your pledge during your campaign was to stop the high crime rate. Motorists are killing our beloved people almost daily. Those are crimes and you are falling far short of your promise. No amount of revenues from oil will make Guyana alluring to the Diaspora and foreigners, if crime prevails. A primary human need is to feel safe. No amount of improved infrastructure will do that.
Lawlessness prevails when it comes to the use of our roads and the result will obviously be mayhem and the continuous loss of precious lives.
Yours faithfully,
Conrad Barrow
