As the country fast approaches the year end long weekend, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is again urging motorists to exercise care and caution when driving on the nation’s roadways as two more persons lost their lives over the last forty-eight hours.
On Tuesday morning, driver Andy Alleyne sustained fatal injuries when he lost control of his Jaguar and crashed into the traffic light pole at the University of the West Indies Intersection along the eastbound carriageway of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway.
Then, just after 6.30 pm, on Wednesday evening, a pedestrian was struck dead by a motorist while attempting to cross the eastbound carriageway of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway from north to south. The police are still seeking the public’s assistance to identify the person.
These two road traffic accidents bring the road traffic accident death toll for 2022 to 90 compared to 74 for the same period in 2021. Although the figure represents an increase of 22% over 2021, according to records from the Roadway Surveillance Unit of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Branch, the last time the country recorded a similar road death figure was in 1956. Of particular concern for 2022 is the fact that pedestrians account for the largest category of road users being killed on the roadways with 35 of the road traffic deaths compared to 29 in 2021, a 20% increase.
Commissioner of Police (Ag.), Erla Christopher, is reminding motorists that there will be a heightened presence of law enforcement during the long weekend with road-policing and anti-crime exercises.
Motorists are reminded to ensure they have their valid driving documents ready for inspection by police officers and drivers are warned that breathalyser and speed enforcement exercises will be in full effect on both highways and main roads in keeping with the agency’s efforts to help save lives and keep families together.
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