By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) chairperson Nalini Bethel renewed her community’s call for curb ramps, tactile warning surfaces and audible signals at traffic lights after a hit and run incident left a disabled man dead.

The body of a wheelchair-bound man was discovered on the roadside on Strachan Boulevard early Friday morning last week. Authorities suspect the victim’s body may have been dragged by the vehicle.

Although the circumstances of the man’s death are uncertain, Ms Bethel noted the disabled community needs traffic assistance in various ways.

“We are calling for assistance for the visually impaired and hearing impaired, so they can cross safely,” she said. She expressed hope that certain areas would incorporate these road safety features, similar to those found in other countries.

 “People with disabilities in communities are always concerned about safety. They want to feel safer on the streets, whether they’re pedestrians or in a wheelchair. Safety is a concern across the board, especially among the disabled community. We have talked to road traffic about it. The safety of disabled persons is a concern for everyone.”

In October 2022, a man in a wheelchair, Decordray Brown, was fatally struck by a vehicle on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway and Theodore Lane.

Activist Erin Brown reflected on the lack of progress in addressing pedestrian safety in the year following the incident.

“We asked what the result of the investigation was and where the proper sidewalks, overpasses, crosswalks, or crossing lights are to mitigate this form of assault or violence against pedestrians, including those with disabilities,” she said, adding that she got no answers.

“There are various reasons why drivers may struggle to see pedestrians, especially those with disabilities,” she noted, citing issues like poor lighting, lack of roadway markers, inexperienced drivers, and vehicle malfunctions.

Ms Brown stressed the importance of adhering to the Road Traffic Act to ensure safe driving for all. “Impatience and road rage can affect anyone, but it should not take a vehicular assault or hit-and-run to bring about the changes needed to protect lives,” she said.