2 Mass casualties involving PSVs is two too many, drivers cautioned Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

Drivers and operators of public service vehicles, as well as commuters, are being urged to be even more careful on the island’s roadways after today’s mass casualty accident involving two vans.

Noting that everything could be done right but due to unforeseen circumstances or changes in weather conditions, accidents can happen out of nowhere, the Marketing and Public Relations Officer of the Alliance Owners of Public Transportation (AOPT) Mark Haynes wants even more caution applied as 2022 comes to an end.

just try for God’s sake to do what is right

Speaking to Loop News today after the accident at Prospect, St James, which left 23 persons nursing injuries of varying degrees of seriousness, Haynes said, “It is unfortunate that this accident happened how it did.”

Noting that it is now under police investigation, he said he will not give a comment on today’s situation specifically, but in a general sense, he is encouraging all drivers to exercise due care and caution on the roads, especially when road cautions shift.

He said more people are on the roads post-pandemic, especially as the Holidays approach, so now calls for greater focus and attention. Haynes issued a general word of encouragement and caution to members of AOPT. He stressed that his words come after today’s accident but not in light of it.

The country had two mass casualty situations in 2022 so far, and both involved a PSV. Back in February, there was a mass casualty at the Brighton/Lower Greys/Boarded Hall junction which left 25 persons injured. That accident involved an omnibus and one vehicle.

safety for their commuters and themselves and their families

Haynes told Loop, “I would like to encourage and urge all the PSV operators to be overly careful. They must be mindful that more persons are on the road since the relaxation of protocols so the traffic has increased, therefore you’re going to have a large number of persons on the road, so I think they should make an effort to be as careful as possible…

“Try to be careful. Try to be cooperative. Try to not drive overly fast or speed or overtake unnecessarily unless you are sure you can safely overtake…

“Be mindful that we do not wish to have any road fatalities coming to the end of 2022 and we do not want commuters to have to suffer lacerations or abrasions as a consequence of any accident that occurs that could have been averted.

“It is imperative that the workers be more careful on the road, and more so when the road is slippery, sometimes brakes don’t always hold. You have to be mindful of all of these things and just try for God’s sake to do what is right.”

We do not want to lose anyone

He urged all drivers not to speed as well, not just PSV operators. He lamented, “Speeding is a problem in Barbados, with all vehicles, not necessarily PSVs. Speeding, unnecessary overtaking, not driving with due care and attention, which should be the remit of every driver, you should always drive with due care and attention, and I urge the PSV workers to drive with due care and full caution…

“I want the workers to do what is right according to the law and just be in full conformity with good driving habits.”

Haynes said that PSV operators must remain ever cognisant that they have the safety of commuters in their hands. “They are responsible for them as well as themselves, so, therefore, they have to look at the overriding situation in terms of safety for their commuters and themselves and their families…

“We do not want to lose anyone. A life lost is one too many… So each one has to be careful as they commute and as they move about.”

Haynes wished the injured parties speedy recoveries and insisted that he does not want to see any accident such as this replicated. “This is really unfortunate.”

NewsAmericasNow.com

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