By Carlena Knight
The fight to keep the roads of Antigua and Barbuda safe got a major boost on Tuesday with the official launch of the socially inclusive ‘Mission Safe Roads For All’ campaign.
Yesterday also saw the launch of the ‘No Matter How Far, Buckle Up’ drive.
The event at the John E St Luce Financial Centre on Factory Road saw dignitaries in attendance from an array of bodies including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Works, police, and members of the National Road Safety Council.
Deputy Commissioner Albert Wade welcomed the implementation of the campaign as “road safety is everyone’s business”.
He said, based on past statistics, the initiative is a necessity.
“The intention of the Traffic Department is to clamp down on traffic offenders as it relates to speeding, seat belt wearing and other traffic violations.
“No family should lose a loved one because they have not fastened their available seat belts. I urge our drivers to buckle up for every trip. We hope everyone will soon acquire the wearing of seat belt so that no one can lose their life or get a ticket,” Wade said.
From 2011 to 2020, traffic collisions in the country resulted in the deaths of 65 people, with many more suffering serious and even life-altering injuries.
Male drivers aged between 18 and 35 are more likely to not wear seat belts, speed and get into accidents, according to Deputy Commissioner Wade.
In 2021, the Ministry of Works and the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board (ABTB) conducted joint observation surveys of seat belt and handheld cell phone use among drivers and front seat passengers travelling on several busy roads across the country.
The survey of 1,423 drivers and 392 front seat passengers identified low compliance with seat belt laws. Fifty-one percent of all drivers were wearing seat belts. Forty-six percent of male drivers were wearing a seat belt while 64 percent of female drivers wore them.
There was also a breakdown by the type of vehicle driven.
Fifty-four percent of private car drivers wore their seat belts, compared to 46 percent of commercial vehicle drivers, 41 percent of bus drivers, 39 percent of government vehicle drivers and 38 percent of taxi drivers.
There was also a survey done which showed that speeding happens more frequently on Friars Hill Road, All Saints Road and Sir George Walter Highway.
Giving the feature address at the historic day was the Minister of Works Lennox Weston.
He said that adopting a new educational approach for drivers will play a key role in improving road safety.
“We need to not only tell them about these habits but point out that these habits are especially dangerous in certain locations. Education yes, but we have to scare them to death.
“They must be afraid that they will end up paralysed, not dead, because when you dead you can’t feel anything.
“Between 18-35 with those cars and the music pumped up, there is something about young men – and a couple of young women too but mostly our young men – they cannot resist speeding unless you frighten them.
“You have to frighten young men especially, because education about what will happen to them they don’t pay attention to, because they believe they can’t die.
“They are fearless and so we need to make sure that we sensitise them,” Weston said.
He also called on the heads of the bus and taxi associations to implement stringent policies to make their drivers not only wear seat belts but slow down on the highways.
Weston said, with better practices over time, these issues that have plagued the nation for years will become a habit that drivers will abide by.
Chair of the National Road Safety Council, Ambassador Clarence Pilgrim, was also present and thanked all the individuals who played a role in influencing the campaign, including the Caribbean Union Bank.
He said the initiative is of critical importance to the nation as there have been dozens of road accidents, many of which have been fatal.
Despite much legislation and campaigns carried out to help prevent these accidents, Pilgrim hopes this particular venture will help the country reach the 2030 United Nations sustainable development goal of reducing road deaths and injuries by 50 percent, cut the number of vehicles travelling over the speed limit by half as well, increase close to 100 percent the proportion of motorbike riders correctly using approved helmets, and increase to 100 percent the proportion of motor vehicle occupants using seat belts or child restraints.
He admonished drivers to be responsible, not to speed, and not to drink under the influence of alcohol or any other drug.
“Let me urge everyone to follow the instructions and rules while driving or while riding in a vehicle. If you are having difficulties while driving, remain calm and call for assistance if you are able to, otherwise wait for assistance to arrive.
“Our existence is in our hands. Let us create and make our mission a reality. Safe roads for all,” Pilgrim added.
Echoing his sentiment was the Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary Ena Dalso-Henry who said the launch of this initiative is timely and a necessary tool as road safety can impact households not only emotionally but financially as well.
She gave the ministry’s commitment to continuing to work alongside the National Road Safety Council and admonished that this issue is not a matter that should be of concern solely for the groups involved in the campaign but the general public as well.
The council collaborated with more than 60 key agencies and 520 individuals in the development of the road safety campaign and associated communications strategy.
A number of the groups present yesterday signed a seat belt behavioural document pledging their full support to buckling up.
