New Road Safety Council tackles road fatalities

There have been 25 road fatalities, including motorcycle deaths, so far for 2017.

The council was formed in January earlier this year, and was incorporated in March.

President of the council, Stan Huggins, director of Nation Drivers Co Ltd and who has worked with Community Awareness Road Safety in the United States, said they were trying to change the culture of driving in TT.

He said the council would comply with the United Nations mandate on road safety for the world and would register with the World Road Safety Council.

“The UN mandates that every country has a road safety umbrella.

Every country has its own culture in the way that they drive, and we are trying to change the culture in TT,” Huggins told Newsday.

The council has already begun teaching road safety awareness in more than 15 schools and business places.

Huggins said so far they have only been able to cover north Trinidad, but has plans and needed support to expand operations across the country.

Huggins said it was time to re-educate the country with regards to driving.

“There are drivers who still break the red light and people continue to cross when the light is on red. There is no regard for traffic signs so the road safety ads and signs by the police are a waste of time.

“We have to educate the people. People must remember that the speed limit when driving near a school was five miles per hour.

When children see this then as they get older they would know that is the speed limit when in the vicinity of a school.

A safer driver is a better driver, a safer pedestrian is a better pedestrian.

If we do not change the culture now, we are going to inherit a culture of bad drivers,” Huggins said.

The council’s main objectives were to develop and deliver road safety awareness educational programmes for drivers and pedestrians through direct teaching and the use of radio, television and social media.

Huggins said they would also assist the Transport Ministry with all matters to reduce the alarming rate of deaths, and would seek funding from Government, the private sector and international agencies to finance and expand educational activities.

He said they also wanted to establish a well-equipped road safety library at its headquarters located at the Praedial Larceny Police Building,which was granted to them by the Vehicle Management Corporation (VMCOTT).