Sinanan laments spike in road deaths

A 60-year-old Wallerfield man has been added to the number of people killed in accidents for the year after he was knocked down on Friday afternoon.

According to police reports, Clement James, of Farm 26, Village Wallerfield was crossing the Churchill Roosevelt Highway, near Jacob Hill, when he was struck by a blue Toyota Crown headed west. Police said the accident took place around 12.30 pm. James died on the scene while the driver was interviewed and released.James is one of five men killed between Friday and this morning. The other four were died in an accident in Longdenville, near Chaguanas, at about 4.30 am today.

Among those who died are fireman Kerwin Duncan and 28-year-old DJ Dwayne Dick. The four friends were returning to their homes from a party in Caparo when the driver lost control and crashed into a utility pole at Enterprise Street. At Tucker Valley Road rehabilitation project, Chaguaramas, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said personal responsibility was vital. He believes his ministry and other stakeholders, including Arrive Alive could do more awareness programmes in an attempt to curb road fatalities. Sinanan said the year began with an increase in road traffic deaths when compared to the same period last year. “We can do as much as we can but personal responsibility is important. A lot of the accidents we are seeing, strange enough, is early in the morning so I don’t know if because people are coming from places or going.

“We have a personal responsibility once we utilise the road. We all have to continue doing our part and it is unfortunate that we started this year with an increase in road fatalities.”

Head of Arrive Alive Sharon Inglefield said the deaths of the five men took the road fatality toll to 20, compared to eight for the same period last year.

“This was tragic, a young fire officer, 26, hit a concrete pole and the car disintegrated. I want to appeal to, particularly young men who are the ones dying in these collisions, let us take our speed down and designate a sober driver, or call a taxi particularly at this time of the year.

“We want no more deaths on the roads, we are losing too many of our good young men. These were educated people, so where is the common sense?” Inglefield said.