Do not delay!

President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA), Sharmane Roland-Bowen, is calling on Government to move with alacrity to get the proposed changes to the Road Traffic Act passed as soon as possible.

At the end of May this year, Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley, speaking at the launch of a Public Awareness Campaign on Road Safety, indicated that the plan was to seek parliamentary approval for the amendments after the Budget, and certainly before the end of the year, and Roland-Bowen is holding him to that.

In an interview with The Barbados Advocate yesterday, the road safety advocate contended that such changes, which will address drink driving and distracted driving including the use of cell phones while driving, among other things, are needed as a matter of urgency to help reduce the number of serious and fatal collisions on the nation’s roads. To date, she noted that 18 road fatalities have been recorded, the latest being yesterday where an elderly lady was struck at the Westmoreland junction.

“We were told that after the Budget they would be taking it to Parliament and the Budget has come and gone, and we are now in the Crop Over season where we are likely to see persons driving and drinking, and persons driving tired. We have managed to see a tapering off as it relates to fatalities over the last two months and we do not want to see that resurface. So the BRSA is urging Government to put this legislation on the statute books soon,” she said.

Roland-Bowen added, “This legislation can help to save lives, reduce collisions on the roads and overall help to alleviate any burden placed on the hospital to treat persons who have been involved in vehicular collisions. So it is in our best interest not to procrastinate and put any more lives at risk.”

Especially at this time, where the country is celebrating the Crop Over Festival, Roland-Bowen said in the absence of the legislation, she wants motorists to exercise even greater caution so more no lives are lost on our roads.

“We want them to know what to expect and to be prepared; be prepared for persons that will be drinking and getting behind the wheel; be prepared for persons may be fall asleep at the wheel because they are moving from fete to fete; we want them to be on the lookout. We are not telling them not to drink, but that if they do, designate a person who is not consuming any alcohol to take them home safely. We also don’t want them to be distracted and I am not only referring to cell phones, but in relation to passengers in the vehicle,” she said.

With that in mind, she is calling on all motorists to “keep their heads on” and stay focused when they are driving. Moreover, the road safety advocate is also asking Barbadians and visitors alike to slow down on the roads. The BRSA president, contending that speed is a major killer, is appealing to all persons to not only drive within the speed limit, but to ensure that there is adequate time for them to reach their destination punctually and in one piece. (JRT)