Traffic Dept. targets accidents
The timing was obviously coincidental, but this morning’s fatality occurred on the first working day of Traffic Safety Week. And with deaths on our roads becoming far too common, authorities say it’s time to crack down on the roots of the carnage. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
In 2002, traffic accidents claimed the lives of seventy-seven people. This year, sixty-two more have died on our roadways.
Vildo Marin, Min. of Works/Transport
“We will try our very best to ensure that we don’t have anymore of our Belizeans dying on our roads or as a result of a traffic accident.”
Traffic accidents have become one of the leading causes of deaths in Belize. To remember those who tragically lost their lives, a sixty-two mile marathon started Sunday afternoon from Georgeville Village on the Western Highway and finished this morning at Gwen Lizarraga high school in Belize City. Minister of Transport, Vildo Marin, says the number of injuries and deaths is unacceptable and recognizes that it will take a committed effort on the part of both his ministry and motorists to address the problem.
Vildo Marin
“The Ministry of Works is ensuring that we put our pound of flesh, ensuring that we have a safe road. As I speak, preparations are underway to do the patching of the Northern Highway from Belize City all the way up to Sandhill. That is ongoing. We know that it is a traffic hazard. So, The Ministry of Works is doing its part.”
Motorists are advised to not take any chances and be road smart.
Inspector Martin Yama, O.I.C., Traffic Branch
“Whenever they are going on the roads and on the highways that they should keep in mind that they should not exceed the speed limit and along with that they should observe the weather condition. I know that these days it has been raining a lot.”
For the next six days, activities will be held to observe Traffic Safety Week. Besides the line up of events, which will take place under the theme “Safety First”, there will also be the meeting of the country’s taxi associations. At that gathering the taxi drivers will be discussing a policy that was specifically designed to address a number of problems in that industry.
Philip Bracket, Transport Commissioner
“The taxi industry is in chaos as it is right now. There are problems of standard fares; there are problems with the condition of vehicles, the terrible conditions sometimes. There are problems with the discipline of some taxi drivers. And so there is a series of issues we think–and they also seem to think the same–that needs to be ironed out.”
Transport Commissioner Philip Bracket says in the coming weeks motorists will notice an increase in traffic patrols and publicity campaigns in an effort curb road traffic accidents.
Philip Bracket
“We will start a major operation that will start from Thursday and it will last until the second of January. And that will be publicity, checkpoints, highway patrols etcetera.”
Marin says their objective is not only to save lives, but to reduce the number of accidents each year by at least seven point five percent. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
In officially opening Traffic Safety Week, Marin says the Department of Transport will be employing seven new traffic officers in the next month and that in the next few weeks they will be introducing speed guns.
