Police are so concerned about the number of accidents occurring, they are considering a road safety audit.
Following two accidents which took place yesterday, head of the Operations Services Division with responsibility for the Traffic Department, Superintendent Antonio Forte, said they were looking to have a discussion with the Licensing Authority and the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) to discuss a possible audit.
“We are currently looking at a road safety audit and our intention is to have dialogue with the Licensing Authority and the [MTW) in order to see if we can address some of these concerns, and if it’s a contributory factor as it relates to the roads or lighting,” he told Starcom Network yesterday.
Areas
Forte said there were particular areas where accidents occurred, noting they had to address the fact there might be factors other than a distraction which might be contributing to the situation.
Barbados has recorded 17 road deaths from 15 major accidents so far for 2018. Seven occurred in five accidents in the past two weeks.
President of the Barbados Road Safety Association, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, has stressed the importance of education.
She also called for a example to be made and appropriate punishment meted out to traffic offenders, while stressing that education was critical to putting an end to the recklessness on the road.
Commenting on the call for a road audit by the police, Roland-Bowen said: “You have to target the driver, not only the road. I am not against a road safety audit, but the real culprit is the driver. People need to be educated if we want change. People going before the courts must be educated regarding the breaking of the law. The insurance companies have got to play their part,” she added.
Yesterday, police responded to two accidents which caused a heavy build-up of traffic along the ABC Highway.
The first occurred about 9:15 a.m. about 100 yards south of the JTC Ramsay Circle involving a car owned and driven by Leander Clarke, 37, of No. 1 Fitts Village, St James, and a C.O.Williams Construction truck driven by David Shepherd, 52, of Diamond Valley, St Philip.
Both vehicles were travelling towards the direction of Pine Hill Dairy when the car ended up on the jersey barrier.
The other crash took place around 1:10 p.m. at the Clyde Walcott Roundabout in Hothersal Turning, St Michael. The two cars involved were owned and driven by Reschille Cox, 37, of Emerald Park, St Philip, and Nicole Alleyne, 38, of Pitcher Hill, St Patrick’s, Christ Church. (JS)
