More than 100 die on roads for the year; wide-ranging recommendations for safe Soesdyke-Linden Highway

Last Updated on Monday, 26 October 2026, 20:23 by Writer

A smash-up between a car and a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) vehicle that claimed the lives of four persons has pushed the country’s road death toll for the year to 103, Traffic Chief Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh said.

Mr Singh indicated that this year’s death toll is one fewer than for the same period in 2025.

Latest figures released to Demerara Waves Online News show that of the 94 fatal accidents each in 2025 and 2026, nine were children.

Guyana’s road death toll surged past 100 on Friday, when Egburt Blair, 55, of Half Mile, Wismar, Linden; Tevin Thompson, 30, of One Mile, Wismar, Linden; Dannel Darrell, 28, of Block 22, Wismar, Linden and Eon Jarvis, 40, of Wismar, Linden died in a road accident at Long Creek on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Three other middle-aged adults from Linden were also injured.

Police said they were travelling in a speeding car, bearing licence number PZZ 8392 when the driver, Blair, reportedly lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the back of a motor lorry.

In the wake of the highway accident, Traffic Chief Singh appealed to road users to obey the rules of road.

“While police will do as much to enforce and raise awareness; without compliance and preventative actions of drivers and other road users accidents will not subside,” he said.

Asked what is needed to assist in improving safety on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, he recommended self-awareness, installation of lights, reflective road markings, more signs; rumble strips to warn motorists of certain risky conditions, speed cameras, staggered speed limits along the highway and digital speed radar signs.