Road deaths up in first 170 days of 2026

Road deaths are on the rise again with authorities warning that speeding continues to be the leading cause of fatal accidents on the roadways.

Speaking at the Guyana National Road Safety Stakeholders Consultation on Friday, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Andre Ally said 56 fatal accidents and 62 deaths were recorded in the first 170 days of 2026.

During the same period last year, there were 54 fatal accidents and 58 deaths.

Calling the figures “sobering,” Ally said road safety must be treated as a national priority.

Ally noted that speeding accounted for 75 per cent of all fatal accidents recorded so far this year.

“Speed determines whether a crash occurs, whether a pedestrian survives or whether a family receives a phone call about an injury or a death,” he said, adding that speed management must remain at the centre of the country’s road safety efforts.

He also pointed to distracted driving, cellphone use behind the wheel, failure to wear seat belts and not wearing helmets as major concerns.

Ally said the Government is using technology to improve road safety through speed cameras, electronic ticketing and the Safe Country Initiative.

“These tools are not for punishment’s sake. They are about changing behaviour, strengthening accountability and saving lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ravindradat Budhram said road safety is everyone’s responsibility.

He noted that fatal accidents have increased by four per cent, while road deaths are up seven per cent during the current reporting period.

Budhram said police have stepped up enforcement by deploying 21 speed cameras, issuing more than 27,000 electronic tickets, suspending 22 driver’s licences for serious traffic offences, and increasing patrols in accident-prone areas.

While enforcement is important, Ally stressed that changing drivers’ attitudes and behaviour will be key to reducing road deaths.