As part of Road Safety Week the police on Friday conducted street crossing demonstrations in Roseau.
Students were given instructions on the proper and safe way of crossing the street.
Road Safety Week is being observed in Dominica under the theme: “Save Kids Lives.”
See photos below.
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Beautiful children and so nicely dressed!The pictures are lovely!
I still remember the day a couple police officers came to our school over 50 years ago to give us kids tips on how to ride our bikes safely on the roads giving the proper signals and so on. Young as we were I think it helped us understand that the police were our friends and cared for our safety.
Crossing the streets is an important issue. School teachers in the lower grades taught us the safety rules. I expect they do the same in Dominica. I learned in school to
Stop, look, and listen
Before you cross he street.
Use your eyes, and use your ears,
Before you use your feet.
Police, teachers, and of course parents keep up the good work.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Crossing a road carefully is not only a pedestrian’s responsibility but more also a driver’s responsibility…Pedestrians normally walk and look ahead of them ,sometimes they look right and left ,in other words there is no walking code except to look out for incoming traffics…sometimes some people walk and think ;which distracts them of thinking that they are on a public road ,,,but a driver learns a code ,where he or she is taught about vigilence ,right,wrong,speed limit and respect…when ever someone is on the road a driver must slow down,but before hand the driver should respect the speed limit because the faster you drive the longer the brakes reacts to stop a vehicle,,which might end up killing or injuring people on the road..children seldom think of danger on the roads ,a child should be assisted to cross the roads .When will the gov’t call in the drivers to revise or test on the driving code?It will surely be a good initiative for all.
This is an excellent comment! Thanks for your contribution.
We need to be reminded of this stuff.
This morning my wife reminded me to slow down when I drive through a school zone. I told her it was Saturday and the kids were not in school. But she said “It makes no different. Some of the children attend special classes on Saturdays.”
Here there is a law vehicles must stop behind a school bus while they are letting kids off and wait until it moves on. Several weeks ago my wife reminded me of this. I knew and always stop but Sarah (also a driver) won’t let me forget.
Safety on the roads is everybody’s responsibility!
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
With the initiative taken by the trarfic department the government should compliment them by having signs and lights erected at pedestrian crossings. Lastly, the government needs t o enact the jay walking law because civilians need to be held accountable for their despicable actions on the road.
Very good initiative, but you will be surprised to know that some of these little ones are better pedestrians than adults.. Some adults literally stroll slowly across the crossings when a driver stops to let them cross. On another note, why is this female officer wearing two different lengths of stockings?
When I took my driving test, I was given this paper to read the the road rules but there was no written examination as is done in other countries (even in the oecs), perhaps making it mandatory that the written exam has to be passed before you can move to the road test might be helpful. I know some may argue that some drivers cannot read and write, I say if you are illiterate with a tool capable of mass destruction then that might already be one of the problems. Police need to also enforce the seat belt law. Its only we in Dominica that have “stats” indicating that seatbelts kill more people than not having any.
That Junction in the photos by kairi I always say should have traffic lights, they help out matters so so much. Another area for traffic light is by the tobacco factory and by IGA. We tend to start things big and within a week give up once the talk die down.
LET us not stop, lets continue the effort.
Ah, where are traffic lights when you need them….that might help
Great initiative by the police. I hope this can continue at least on a quarterly basis. I want to make an appeal to the traffic department and the Portsmouth police to do something about the traffic near to the St. John’s catholic primary school. In as much as we are looking at the safety of children these children should also be protected. The traffic near to the school is chaotic especially in the morning and at one o clock. At least one police officer can be made available to help ease the traffic. The pedestrian crossing should also be re painted .
Not just the kids of Roseau should be protected . The child of set johns are Dominican children too and they too need protection.
Great initiative, but how long will it last. Other than the crazy/impatient etc. drivers on the street, the pedestrians (including school children) need to be mindful of on-coming traffic and use the crossing properly. Too often pedestrians walk/cross like it’s in their yard they are strolling. They young school children are strutting their stuff and even fixing their blouses in skirts while crossing. If you so much as correct them, they want to curse/insult you.
The government should employe school crossing guards around all school zones, and around towns, villages in Dominica, for the safety of our children. Drivers should STOP… whenever a school bus or taxi bus is droping off or picking up CHILDREN.
It is a concern when children want to cross or are crossing a street with a lot of traffic especially during rush hours. I do believe that Dominica/Roseau has consistent rush hour traffic.
Too many vehicles on the road and no street lights at busy corners which make it difficult for pedestrians to cross.
I suppose when Roseau is revamped street lights will be installed. In my own words, I hope so. All cities have street lights.
In the meantime children and adult pedestrian must look left and right, back and forth to try to cross safely.
to show to flam
Good initiative. Would just like to see continuity. Do not let our gaurd down. Let’s strive for zero road fatalities for rest of year and beyond. When its bad we get on police case. Today it is good, so these efforts must be commend ed. Continue to improve and make adjustments where needed. People will follow your lead if it is working.
where a the school zone sine
So far so good by ASP Laurent. This effort has to be sustained. This should not be a one day or one week event. It’s time to go after motor cyclist who ride without helmet. Start imposing heavy fines and start seizing bikes. We have tolerated this foolishness far too long now.
Driver education is essential. Every new driver must complete a driver safety course before they are issued with a driver’s license. Passengers should not be riding in the back of pick up trucks. This needs to be addressed. The lives of our citizens matter.
While we’re at it, these crazy mini-bus drivers need to feel the full weight of traffic officers.
Keep up the good work guys.
good work officers
There so should be school crossing signs and speed limit close to schools.And lastly,it should be strictly enforced by the police.Thats another source of revenue for the Govt.
There should also be CROSSING GUARDS before school starts and after school lets out to ensure safe crossing of students.Here goes a few jobs for thoes who finish the NEP program. Something to do.
reinstatement for Zenny
I just can’t understand ur point.
A very bold and welcome initiative from ASP Laurent and the rest of the team from the Traffic Dept. But quite honestly, the DRIVERS need to be constantly re-educated along those lines since most of them don’t care and courtesy has gone out the window.
Great scenes. But please officers/Traffic Department. There is a menace happening with bus drivers stopping in front of a pedestrian crossing, and flagging incoming vehicles to stop to allow someone to cross. This must be stopped immediately!! It is extremely dangerous!! The bus driver thinks that he is helping, but he is putting the person’s life at risk. After you drop off the passenger at the pedestrian crossing, for God’s sake move out, and allow incoming traffic to have a full view of the person who wants to cross. Please address this Traffic Department, because one day someone might get seriously hurt or worse due to this stupid action of the bus drivers.
The oncoming traffic drivers should note when the bus stopped to let off passengers, if it is at a pedestrian crossing, they should remain behind the truck and not try to overtake it by squeezing their vehicle to drive forward. In so doing, the pedestrian could be hit and injured, if not worse. They should first allow the bus driver to move on. The drivers at the back, especially the one directly behind the bus should exercise patience and caution. Some of them are in too much of a hurry and may cause accidents.
Watch dog, if a vehicle, in this case a bus has stopped at a pedestrian crossing to allow someone to cross, and has to flag down an oncoming vehicle to stop… then that oncoming vehicle is travelling to fast while approaching a pedestrian crossing.
Any vehicle approaching a pedestrian crossing must do so with great vigilance and caution, especially if there is another vehicle parked in front of him at the pedestrian crossing.
What I would like to see, is this, some pedestrians believe that they have right of way when ever they reach the crossing, and most times just automatically cross. The process is that they should stand at the crossing and when the vehicles in both directions stop to allow them to cross, then and only then they should cross. Further, both vehicles should not proceed untill after the pedestrian has made his or her way across the crossing.