Following a series of traffic accidents which that landed a number of patients at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre over the weekend, Public Safety Minister Sir Steadroy Benjamin is meeting with top officers in the Traffic Department today.
The spike in vehiclular accidents has alarmed top officials within the traffic department at the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda with Corporal Brendan Sutherland telling Observer media on Saturday how disheartening it is that persons continue not to heed warning from officials to slow down.
“Since we have been having these small cars coming into Antigua, especially the Vitz and the Fit, people tend to drive them in a certain kind of way, so we always try to advise them that when they’re driving on our roads, especially those newly constructed roads, to slow down,” Corporal Sutherland said.
Five people were arrested and charged with dangerous driving on Friday after police carried out checks at the major intersections.
On Saturday, a Honda Fit and a Toyota Vitz collided on Sir Sidney Walling Highway after one of them apparently attempted to overtake a truck and ploughed headon into the other car which was travelling in the opposite direction.
It was reported that the Jaws of Life had to be used to get the drivers out of their vehicles.
Then, on Saturday night, a Delta truck collided with another vehicle on All Saints Road resulting in both drivers sustaining injuries s.
As many as 52 traffic tickets were issued to motorists for various traffic violations, including failure to wear a seatbelt, missing licence plates, and excessive tint on windows.
Several vehicles were also impounded at the government motor pool due to being unlicensed.
Sir Steadroy said that the traffic situation is becoming out of control.
“First thing on Monday morning, I’m going to have a meeting with the traffic department and some of the officers and they will have to give me practical advice to what can be done to curb this recklessness, carelessness and dangerous actions of these drivers,” he said.
“I was shocked this morning when I was informed that the vast majority of people on the surgical ward were here [because of] traffic accidents: broken bones, serious damage because of recklessness. In fact, one of the nurses as she was coming here, she told me she had to avoid about three accidents this morning, coming into work,” the Public Safety Minister said.