An angry homeowner in the Pinewood Gardens area told The Guardian yesterday that she and her son could have been killed in their home as a result of a reckless driver.
Fifty-seven-year-old Clodella Arnette said she was awakened at four o’clock in the morning last Friday by a loud crashing sound. She said that a car sped off the road, breaking through her garage, and almost landing directly in her kitchen.
She said despite not being in the kitchen at the time of the accident, she and her son were at risk, because the car could have just as easily entered their bedrooms.
Mrs Arnette noted that she is waiting on law enforcement officials to conclude their investigation into the matter, so that she can make the necessary repairs to her home.
Lynn Sweeting, who lives in the Village Road area, said she has made numerous calls to the police about speeding cars in her neighbourhood. In addition she emphasised that she has often been run off of the road by bus drivers who make unlawful detours in her neighbourhood. She added that she is very concerned about the number of reckless drivers on the street.
Jack Thompson, Controller of Road Traffic has urged motorists to heighten their road safety measures because they are putting lives at risk.
Mr Thompson noted that last year’s traffic death figure was extremely high. However, he said the number of traffic related fatalities in The Bahamas for the year 2006 is rapidly climbing.
“Last year we have had over 67 deaths as a result of traffic acccidents. So far for this year we have had about 25 traffic-related fatalities,” he said. “All of these traffic related fatalities are related to our behaviour, in one way or the other. These accidents are occurring because of either reckless driving, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or driving without due care and attention.
[Editor’s Note: Yet, due to corruption, the prosecution of road traffic violations is almost non-existent in this country, as this hit-and-run incident proves.]
There is no question as to what our position is with speeding in the National Road Safety Committee. We would have on any number of occasions issued strong warnings about speeding and reckless driving.” Mr Thompson said the road traffic department is working on a few new initiatives in a bid to upgrade safety for pedestrians and the driving public.
“We are going to continue and redouble our efforts in the education drive, because we think education is the key to road safety. We have one or two new initiatives that are going to be implemented. I am not at liberty to say what they are now. But the public can look forward to some new initiatives, and we are going to spare no efforts on getting the issue of safety out,” he said.
Other motorists The Guardian spoke to, who claim they are responsible drivers, suggested that if there were more policemen enforcing road traffic laws and the government made it mandatory for drivers to take a driver education refresher course, there would be fewer traffic fatalities and more responsible drivers on the streets.
By LASHONNE OUTTEN Guardian Staff Reporter
