GPF Traffic Dept records 15 percent decrease in accidents

DPI, GUYANA, Friday, December 15, 2017

The Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department has recorded a 15 percent decrease in overall accidents for the year, thus far. This disclosure was made by Traffic Chief Dion Moore, during the department’s annual year-end press conference, at the Traffic Headquarters, Eve Leary.

Moore said that there have been 89 fatal accidents resulting in 104 deaths in 2017, as compared to 115 fatal accidents and 126 deaths in 2016. This represents a 23 percent decrease in fatal accidents and 17 percent decrease in deaths.

There was also a total of 268 serious accidents in 2017 against 299 in 2016 representing a decrease of 10 percent. Minor accidents for this year stand at 376 compared to 409 in 2016 – an eight percent decrease. Additionally, there were 598 damaged vehicles in 2017 compared to 737 in 2016 which indicates a decrease of 19 percent.

The Traffic Chief also highlighted that there has been a significant decrease in the number of children killed on the roadways. According to Moore, 12 children died in 2016, as compared to only two in 2017. However, 33 pedestrians head the list of road users to have died this year, followed by 20 motor cyclists and 18 occupants of private vehicles.

Speeding, texting and driving, as well as drinking and driving, are the main contributors to road accidents. To this end, Moore reported that for the year thus far 26,792 drivers have been charged for speeding as against 25,690 in the year 2016. A total of 2,589 drivers were charged for driving under the influence in 2017 against 2,401 in 2016. As it relates to persons operating a vehicle while using their cellular phones, 1,623 were charged in 2017 compared to 1,501 in 2016.

The Traffic Chief called on persons to make safety a priority. “The time has come for persons to be aware and be cognisant of the fact that their safety also depends upon them, not just on the police or other people, it is important for you to have that sense of responsibility”, Moore stated.

The Traffic Chief reported that there has been a drastic increase in the number of unlicensed drivers using the roadways. For this year, a total of 1231 has been charged while only 865 were charged in 2016. According to Moore, too many persons continue to use their private vehicles for hire despite being encouraged to acquire hire car licenses. For 2017, a total of 555 drivers were charged while for the same period last year 391 were charged. The number of cases made against errant drivers for the year thus far amounts to 72,706 against 70,240 in 2016.

Moore said that in the Traffic Department’s continued efforts to ensure there is a reduction in the number of road accidents, there has been an increase in the use of radar guns, breathalyzers and increase police patrols, especially at nights. It was also pointed out that there has been an addition of 71 ranks within the traffic department along with five motor cars and 35 motor cycles.

By: Isaiah Braithwaite