There were fewer road deaths this year, but the country must not grow complacent, said the President of the Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA), Roland Lowe, who on Tuesday urged tougher measures and broader public participation to make the nation’s roads safer.
“If we could avoid fatalities altogether, I believe that would be the best thing,” Lowe told Barbados TODAY, noting that although the decline in deaths was encouraging, any loss of life remained unacceptable.
“In relation to the fatalities that we’ve seen – though one fatality is one too many – I can say that there was a decrease in terms of the numbers that we saw,” he said. “We still would like to see greater consideration and attention being paid by motorists as they use the road and also by pedestrians and all road users.”
Lowe pointed to ongoing efforts by the association to collaborate with private-sector partners to improve road safety awareness and education.
“In terms of the Road Safety Association, we had some collaboration with businesses in the country. We did some work with DHL, who have been long-time supporters, and the [General] Insurance Association [of Barbados] as well,” he said. “We had discussions and some debate, but all in all, we all have the same goal in mind, which is safer roads for all users and a reduction in fatalities and accidents.”
But he stressed that the organisation needs greater public involvement moving forward.
“What we would like to see is greater participation in the Road Safety Association so that we can increase our membership and strengthen our voice when we have to speak,” Lowe said. “That’s something we want to see going into the new year.”
On the issue of impaired driving, Lowe said that while he did not have access to specific statistics on whether alcohol contributed to recent accidents, the message to motorists remained clear.
“I can’t speak to the statistics in terms of whether alcohol was a factor, but what I can say is that if a person is driving under the influence, it will affect their ability to control a motor vehicle,” he warned. “The advice is always: if you’re going to be driving, don’t drink.”
Lowe also welcomed improvements in road infrastructure, noting better signage and road markings across the island, but said that more must be done, especially in school zones.
“I’ve seen improvements in signage, whether on poles or markings on the road itself,” he said. “But we would like to see more, especially reminders for persons driving in school districts. The standard is about 40 kilometres per hour in those areas, and people need to be more attentive, particularly where young children are concerned.”
He revealed that the BRSA is currently working on a road safety education programme aimed at students, which they hope to roll out in collaboration with the Ministry of Educational Transformation.
“Efforts were made, and we’re still working on it to have a programme for students,” Lowe explained. “The plan is to introduce it in select schools first and then expand, once we have the permission and support of the ministry and the government.”
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