Deputy Fire Chief Wayne Letang has raised concerns over the increase in the number of motor vehicular accidents on island.
His concerns came while addressing a press briefing held at the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Department in Roseau on Wednesday.
In recent times there has been a number of motor vehicular accidents, some resulting in death.
“One of the issues that we have is looking at our data we have seen an increase in motor vehicular accidents,” he said. “For example in 2022 we responded to approximately 150 motor vehicle accidents where we had to intervene and provide medical care.”
Letang continued, “And this year so far, just for the half of the year, we have 45 or so motor vehicle accidents that we had to give care to.”
He believes the level of traffic and the road safety ideas of persons who are driving are some of the things that could lead to motor vehicular incidents.
Furthermore, Letang said in some cases the accidents are caused by motor vehicular error. “Sometimes, somebody may have lost brakes, but all this has to do with the care of your motor vehicle,” he explained.
Meantime, Letang said there has been an increase in ambulance calls for the year so far.
“For example, for the period January to June 2022 we responded to just about 4,012 ambulance calls for the year so far,” Letang revealed. “And that is, from January to May we have responded to 4,425 ambulance calls, so we can see an increase in that area also.”
As it relates to fire calls for the year 2022, he indicated that the fire department responded to 69 bushfires.
“In 2023 we have already responded to 89 bushfires,” Letang revealed. “We had 115 fires for the year in 2022 and we are already up to 87 for this year so far.”
This he said includes house fires and bushfires.
He went on to state that last year, for the entire year the fire department responded to over 10,000 ambulance calls, “so that was an increase from the previous year, so we passed the threshold of 10,000 this year again and it keeps increasing.”
Letang said the Fire and Ambulance Services will continue to monitor the dates and number of response calls.
Presently the number of staff at the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Services has increased from 131 to 165 after Cabinet approved 34 new positions.
Wayne, is pointless to talk about lack of road safety, yet you are contending with a bunch of people, women, and men driving inebriated, under the influence of some mine altering substance such as alcohol, crack, and marijuana.
Speeding, while under the influence, showing off how to people how fast they can drive is the cause of the many accident.
Even if guardrails were installed on every inch of road in the country, that would not curtail the amount of accidental deaths in the country.
Dominica is a place where people think that there is something special about driving.
It’s not an art, any dumb donkey can drive.
Speed limits are necessary, hence the police in this case must be vigilant, issuing citations when violators of traffic speed limits are caught.
I have seen people in Dominica driving with beer or rum in one hand, the other on the steering wheel.
It is customary for people to going to a destination, in the process stopping in front of the rum shop, and guzzling.
“Yet you are contending:”
It should’ve read: when you are contending.”
I was in Dominica recently and the amount of reckless drivers on the roads are quite scary. The speeding, overtaking in places where you shouldn’t and the multi coloured lights on vehicles, I mean is there a road safety department on the Island? Something needs to be done
Ingrid Pierre, Dominica has bad drivers bad attitudes yes I agree, be honest where ever you are in this world today there’s bad drivers, I am not asking you I know that for a fact because of my previous experiences around the world India, Jamaica, people over taking inside/outside lanes all over the place Caribbean all over no different.
Man Dog the issue is Dominica: Let me inform you the majority of cars, on the road in the twenty first century the average sped they travel is no less than a hundred-forty miles per hour.
Some of us drive the very high profile cars which top speed is 220 miles per hour!
If you have a car in Dominica which can travel at 140 miles per hour, and one even drive at 55 miles per; that’s a recipe for an accident!
The reason is the roads and driving conditions cannot accommodate speeding!
And let me tell you something; even in countries with Freeways, people are not allowed to drive as fast as they wish. There are only two places in America I encounter speed limits of eighty (80) miles per hour.
All other are: 35, 40, 50, 65, and 70 miles per hour.
I’ve done over 130 before!
Anyone caught exceeding those limits are cited, fine hundreds of dollars, in addition of collecting points recorded by DMV, which causes an increase in insurance.
Only in backward Dominica things are…
Yes, but also the police don’t enforce the laws also the same police breaking the laws too!
In regards to traffic accidents… bottom line is we need Police patrolling around country enforcing traffic laws of the country. A few hefty traffic fines to various motorists for unsafe driving should help with changing the unsafe driving behavior.
How about Road Safety Signs too from the Department of Motor Vehicles? Nobody seem to be taking things too seriously in DA.
Ms. Gladys was ashamed and taken aback when she brought her family home in December 2022 and attempted to go to Screws Spa through Wotten Waven. Not one single solitary sign to alert the weary travellers that this road had been cut off since Hurricane Maria. With some luck a few bystanders gave direction on the other route through Trafalgar. Imagine how much more confusing and bewildering for Tourists. The situation calls for attention from both sides, the drivers to be responsible on the roads and also for the authorities to make every effort to keep roads safe. Spend money on signage, y’all collecting all the vehicle tax, don’t be scanty. install speed bumps too especially in commercial and residential areas. do it by the Bus Stops for example..So sad to see a father suffer after losing his son to a knock down that could be avoided. smh!!