Georgetown : The Guyana Police Force releasing statistics confuirmed that there has been a 4% reduction in road fatalities for 2012 in comparison to 2011, with 110 fatalities in 2012 compared to 115 during 2011.
The 110 road deaths last year is the lowest figure recorded in forty three (43) years. In 1969 the total number of road fatalities was 169. The previous lowest figure was recorded in 2008 when 113 persons lost their lives on the roadways.
Pedestrians were the main road users affected with 34 such persons having lost their lives on the roads during last year 2012. In addition 18 pedal cyclists, 19 motor cyclists and 20 drivers of motor vehicles also lost their lives.
The highest number of road deaths for last year occurred in “A” Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) where 41 persons lost their lives in 38 fatal accidents. The ‘black spots’ in relation to these accidents were mainly along Lamaha Street, Norton Street, Durban Street, Nelson Mandela Avenue, and between Houston and Eccles; and Supply and Soesdyke on the East Bank of Demerara.
Speeding continued to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents, causing 78 of the 102 fatal accidents during 2012. According to statistics the other contributory elements are driving under the influence, distracted or inattentive drivers and the non-compliance with traffic signals.
Traffic enforcement by the police in 2012 resulted in a total of 69, 653 cases being made against errant motorists; of this total 14, 877 cases were for speeding.
During the past year, in addition to its traffic education programme which includes traffic lectures to schools, enforcement operations by the Police Traffic Department have for the most part focused on speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, defective vehicles, unlicensed drivers, inconsiderate driving, reckless and negligent driving, safety belts, cell phone use while operating vehicles, overloaded minibuses and minibus route transgressions.
More attention will be paid to outstanding traffic tickets, illegible number plates, parking violations and general moving violations which have the potential of developing into more serious problems.
One road fatality has been recorded so far for the month of January 2013.
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