Friday, August 24, 2018
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
A PEDESTRIAN was struck and killed in Eleuthera early Friday morning.
Chief Superintendent Craig Stubbs said a man was hit by a Japanese model vehicle on Queen’s Highway in the vicinity of Rock Sound, Eleuthera.
The incident took place shortly before 6am, according to Mr Stubbs, who said the driver remained at the scene.
The victim was confirmed dead at the scene with his death following a spate of traffic fatalities in recent weeks.
Between August 6th and 7th, two pedestrians were killed in separate traffic accidents in New Providence, one of which was a hit-and-run.
Between July 27 and July 30th, there were five traffic-related deaths.
On July 30th, CSP Stubbs told The Tribune that up to that date, there had been 50 traffic fatalities for the year.
At the time, CSP Stubbs called this a “definite” increase as it is “basically the total” for all of last year.
According to Royal Bahamas Police Force’s crime statistics, 54 people died as a result of traffic accidents in 2017 and 44 died in 2016.
During a press conference held on July 31, Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said the RBPF is concerned by the number of fatalities that have occurred in recent weeks.
Revealing that 38 fatalities took place from January to June, Commissioner Ferguson admitted the force is "still challenged with road offences".
"For the period we have arrested well over 2,000 persons for various criminal offences and reported well over 13,000 traffic offenders," he said.
"Until our citizens realise how important it is to have an orderly society we will continue to ticket them and carry out our job which is to take them before the courts."
Comments
BahamaRed says...
We need stricter penalties for pedestrians manslaughter, instead of those little fines.
Posted 25 August 2018, 9:32 a.m. Suggest removal
OMG says...
Its a fact that should you want to murder someone with a gun or knife and get caught you are going to Fox Hill for a long time.Much better to kill them with your car as the price of a human life then is $5000 fine. Fact.
Posted 25 August 2018, 10:51 a.m. Suggest removal
DDK says...
Good point but don't give them any ideas for Goodness sake!
Posted 25 August 2018, 10:57 a.m. Suggest removal
ashley14 says...
You can kill someone and get a little fine. Really! That's why crime is so high. You kill someone you go to jail, mandatory!
Posted 25 August 2018, 12:40 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Eleuthera roads have a bad reputation for traffic fatalities ........... whether it is killing in the course of dangerous driving or reckless driving at dangerous sections of the road.
QUESTION ........ When are the powers-that-be going to upgrade these Out Island roads ..... from Eleuthera down to Inagua?
The inferior construction and materials make them dangerous. They are not built to carry the payload of containerized vehicles and heavy equipment etc.
The roads still follow the horse and donkey paths from a century ago (The UBP simply paved them). There are only lighting where people live (that's a BEC policy). The roads are called "highways" but they are barely 15 feet wide in places.
Little effort is made to clear blind (ghost) corners or put in cat-eyes, stripes or road signs. These roads are terrifying for locals, much less urban visitors and tourists.
Posted 25 August 2018, 1:06 p.m. Suggest removal
Clamshell says...
Night life is quickly becoming a thing of the past on Eleuthera. Expats and winter residents go to dinner now at 5:30-6 p.m. Restaurants are mostly closed by 9. Fundraisers and social events are largely held in the afternoon. Most folks are too afraid to drive there at night. Roads are scary and too many unskilled drivers screaming around at high speeds, like maniacs, because they know there is no traffic enforcement.
When will they fix it? Uh ... good question.
Posted 25 August 2018, 7:51 p.m. Suggest removal
truetruebahamian says...
Also too many looking at their telephones and looking for garbage in their car to throw out of the window before reaching their destination rather than the road - and at speeds well over 45 mile per hour.
Posted 26 August 2018, 9:57 a.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
It would incur some expense but it would be possible to fit a governor to every vehicle in the country such that the vehicle is restricted to 45mph, or 30mph for jitneys. Simple solution if we had the political will.
Posted 27 August 2018, 9:25 a.m. Suggest removal
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