18.1% decrease in fatal accidents but thousands breach traffic laws

The Guyana Police Force says it has recorded an 18.1% decrease in fatal accidents for the year but have recorded thousands of instances of breaches in traffic laws.

The decrease in fatal accidents was calculated based on statistics for the same period last year.

In a statement on Friday, the police said “speeding, inattentiveness and pedestrian crossing in the path of approaching vehicle were the main causes of fatal accidents.”

The statistics released by the Force show that there were 2,935 recorded instances of speeding, 752 instances of breach of condition of road service licence, 247 cases of persons driving under the influence of alcohol, 165 instances of persons using a cell phone while driving, and 254 times drivers breached the traffic light signal.

Further, there were 535 cases of tinted motor vehicles, 261 cases of unlicenced drivers, 1171 times drivers failed to wear seat belts, 133 cases of dangerous driving, 155 cases of careless driving, 159 cases where the driver failed to wear a safety helmet and 618 recorded instances of overloaded mini-buses.

Police reported that there were 390 cases of vehicular obstruction, 809 cases where drivers failed to follow the road signs and 514 cases of drivers crossing the double yellow time.