62 road deaths in first half of 2025

Last Updated on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 17:34 by Writer

With speeding and inattentiveness being the major causes of road accidents in Guyana, official figures show that 62 persons died in the first half of 2025, according to the Guyana Police Force.

The number of road deaths between January and June, 2025 was as a result of 58 fatal road accidents or a 16 percent increase over the 50 for the corresponding period in 2024.

Traffic Chief, Assistant Police Commissioner Mahendra Singh told Demerara Waves Online News that “several fatal accidents were as a result of single vehicle collision on declared public roads where driver failure or negligence resulted in death.” Overall, 132 persons died in 117 fatal accidents in 2024.

Looking at 2025, he said, similar to last year, 73 percent of the 745 accidents from January to June 2025 did not require hospitalisation, 47 percent were injury free and 18 percent required emergency medical technician (EMT) responses and subsequent hospitalisation with injuries including fractures.

The statistics also show that overall there has been a 3 percent reduction in accidents from January to June 2025 compared to 772 for the same period under review. Specifically, there were decreases by 8, 5 and 3 percent in serious, minor and damage accidents respectively during the first six months of the year.

Mr Singh said driver behavior and improper use of the road continue to be a concern as many fail to comply with the road markings or signs, leading to traffic congestion and accidents.

With the number of vehicles on the roadways more than doubling over the past five years, the Traffic Chief said new roads were providing relief. He said police were being deployed in certain areas to reduce congestion at points where traffic from different directions converge.

Mr Singh said the Safe Road Intelligent System – an automated traffic enforcement ticketing system – was being rolled out across Guyana to improve remote monitoring with the automated e-ticket generation for speeding a key feature.

Vertical traffic calming measures, also called speed radar signs, are being erected to support motorists in an effort to reduce speed and use the road safely.

In the areas of training and awareness, the Traffic Chief said 633 traffic education activities had been conducted so far for 2025. Twenty-one community outreaches were conducted to meet with the composition of the communities: drivers, students, passengers, owners and operators of all types of motor vehicles, pedestrians, religious leaders, nurses and every other profession.

The Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department also conducted 12 defensive drivers’ seminars, produced weekly road safety and television programs, and broadcast daily road safety messages and tips.