Texting while Driving in Guyana

Texting while driving means the act of composing a text, social media message, or any form of using the web while driving. Accidents while texting and driving occur regularly in Guyana, and the issue of texting while driving is becoming even more problematic. This new trend in drivers is hazardous and is considered an alarming distraction. A driver that engages in the active use of their cellphone while driving combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual, and cognitive. Texting takes at least five seconds to complete, which is long enough for a motor vehicle to cover the length of a football field while driving at 55 mph.

Dangers of Texting While Driving

For many young drivers, there is a compulsive urge to respond to a phone call or read a text message that they received while driving. Receiving pleasant messages sends a signal to the brain that makes you feel happy. This form of distracted driving doesn’t feel dangerous, and most drivers will defend their need to text while driving. Do these drivers know the seriousness and implications of trying to master the art of responding to messages while driving? Probably not. On November 28, 2018, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company released a warning blast on its social media platforms advising persons of the danger of texting while driving and urging road users to look out for each other. While telecommunication companies such as GTT have tried to alert road users about the dangers of texting while driving, it does not seem to have had a significant impact.

What are the risks of texting while driving? The practice undoubtedly causes an escalation in the number of injuries and fatalities on the roadways. In Guyana, a large number of minor and damage accidents occur daily, with a high percentage of them being unreported or unrecorded. The reports provided by the Guyana Police Force does not include empirical data about accidents caused by texting while driving. It is against the law to text while driving, and drivers should be conscious of the fact that engaging in this activity would be breaking the law.

Additionally, damages sustained to the vehicles will cause insurance premiums to skyrocket. More accidents are caused by people who think they can efficiently multitask while maintaining their focus on the road. As humans, we are fallible; there is, therefore, only so much of our attention that we can dedicate to numerous tasks simultaneously. Once our focus is less than 100 percent, our reaction time is considerably slower. Our ability to perceive is less than when we are not distracted. We see the traffic, but we are not engaging with it, and our brain cannot make a calculated, well-informed decision – a “split-second” decision that may save lives.

Guyana’s Law Against Texting While Driving

In January 2009, the Government of Guyana passed the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2008. The Act stipulates that a person is not permitted to drive a motor vehicle while using either a mobile telephone or a similar hand-held device. The Act also states that drivers may use hands-free devices solely to communicate in an emergency, to the disciplined forces, ambulance, or medical service.  

Although many drivers welcomed the Act and applauded the Government’s effort to curb texting while driving, many were not hopeful that it would change the habit. Bus drivers dismissed the idea that drivers should pull over to use their phones. They felt this made the driver suspicious of violation of traffic law and could lead to unnecessary victimization from police officers. Drivers advocated for the use of phones to stay in contact with their families, especially if there is an emergency. However, there are still many persons who have not had access to sufficient information about the Act, and there have not been enough awareness platforms.

 

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure and the Department of Public Information should consider this problem as critical to the safety of road users. Every year the number of vehicles is increasing on the roadways as more households can afford automobiles, while no new roads have been added in more than a decade. As a result, roadways are increasingly congested, and the flow of traffic is affected. It is nearly safe to say that at least three out of four drivers consider themselves to be great drivers. They become overconfident and feel at ease to use their mobile phones while in traffic. It is imperative to push for public awareness through all media outlets. Strict enforcement of the law is necessary to bring about a change in the present situation. The Government must take road accidents seriously and launch an extensive campaign to educate the Guyanese people on preventative measures. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure can work along with the Guyana Police Force to train officers about road safety and the importance of recording detailed reports from accidents.

Let us keep our eyes on the road, hands on the steering wheel, and focus on safe driving.