“Suspiciously” large trucks breaching Road Act – David Patterson 

Trucks, based on statistical data from the Guyana Police Force have either caused or involved some of the most deadliest accidents this year. Taking this into account, the Alliance for Change (AFC) believes greater analysis is needed to understand the reasons these vehicular accidents. One reason it advanced is the inexperience of truck drivers on the roadways.

In responding to a question from Guyana Standard, AFC Executive Member David Patterson explained that the reckless behavior of truck drivers are known to many motorists, especially those who commute the East Bank of Demerara. Patterson believes that there might be an oversight as to who is now acquiring truck licences.

“When you look at the drivers who are operating these heavy machinery, it’s all very young people. What I know is that in order to acquire a truck licence there needs to be extensive years of driving acquired and I doubt many of them have those years of experience,” Patterson said.

He alluded to the fact that many of the reckless truck drivers are always in a hurry, carrying tons of weight in their carriages. Patterson however highlighted the fact that based on the constitutional rules of the road, large trucks are not permitted to travel on highly populated roads.

“The trucks we have operating now, and somewhere in 2020 we started to see some strange big trucks on the roadways. These types of trucks are illegal and they breach the road act; especially the Vehicle Weight Road Act. In 2022, they removed the duty for these trucks in the claim of development,” Patterson said.

The former Infrastructure Minister said that it is a common trend of the administration to make “risky decisions” in the name of development, while “risking the lives of many”. He suggested that the administration regularize the use of these heavy duty trucks to prevent further carnage.

Meanwhile, Leader of the AFC Khemraj Ramjattam believes that a regular knowledge and skills assessment needs to be adapted to ensure that drivers have the necessary knowledge of road safety. He implored that far too many drivers are operating without regard for the rules.

Statistics from the traffic department revealed that a total of 38 persons have died so far for the year from 31 road accidents. From the 38 lives lost, there was the death of one child.