
Reverend Roslyn Harper-Johnson takes a moment to view the wall of remembrance inside of St. Mary’s Church yesterday to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
Minister of Transport, Works and Maintenance, Dr. William Duguid has revealed that his Ministry is at an advanced stage as it relates to the utilisation of the breathalyzer testing of drivers of vehicles and this is expected to be established in January 2020.
Dr. Duguid made this announcement during his brief remarks at the Barbados Road Safety Association’s (BRSA) Church Service yesterday, on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. He noted that the introduction of such testing will certainly go a long way in ensuring the safety of the travelling public.
Dr. Duguid also added that safer modes of transportation will be offered to commuters, and an improved road network will be developed, which will be of international standards and norms. “As the Ministry develops policies, programs, and initiatives to ensure that our roads are safe, we should continue to keep those persons in our prayers who at present are being affected by the loss of a loved one or someone dear to them due to an accident,” said Dr. Duguid.
A decline in road fatalities in 2019
The Minister also reported on road fatalities, stating that in 2017 and 2018 there were 28 and 26 road fatalities, respectively. He disclosed that this year (in the past ten months) there were only nine road fatalities according to the report from the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF). Yet, Dr. Duguid stressed that “one road fatality in any year is one too many”.
“We all know too well the social, economic and emotional consequences that follow the death of someone on our roads, with families shattered and breadwinners no longer here. Efforts must be made to develop our road safety system to a state where road fatality is a rarity,” said Dr. Duguid.
In his earlier comments, the Minister highlighted that, each year, “nearly 1.3 million people die as a result of a road traffic collision” which is about 3 000 deaths per day.
The Minister provided other disturbing facts, revealing that half of the people killed are not travelling in a car and 20 to 50 million more people sustain non-fatal injuries annually. Additionally, he noted road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among people aged 15 and 29 years old.