The message has always been very clear in two simple words—Arrive Alive.
There is never a more critical time to hammer home this mantra than between the merriment of Christmas and the festivities of Carnival, which give rise to an increase in the consumption of alcohol.
Police officers, currently stretched in trying to contain serious crimes, are already being asked to redouble their efforts to ensure the safety of all citizens on the nation’s roads.
Breathalyser and speed tests are soon expected to become regular exercises along the main thoroughfares of the country, particularly at night when most of the Carnival parties occur.
Police are also expected to be more visible at events, as a first check towards reducing the number of drivers leaving parties in inebriated states.
The fact that this is the first major Carnival after the COVID-19 lockdown, suggests that more people are also likely to participate in the various activities.
Controlling such an influx of people will be no easy task for the police, as it is not possible to police everyone at all times.
What’s more critical, therefore, is personal responsibility on the roads by the citizenry themselves.
The message of “arrive alive” is to ensure that loved ones go and return to their destinations without losing their lives in accidents.
One cannot count themselves a true friend, therefore, by allowing a colleague to get behind the wheel intoxicated.
Friendship in this scenario is not turning a blind eye to law-breaking in any form, and even more so when such infractions can lead to death.
The effects of looking away while colleagues take chances often also have wide-reaching impacts on others.
Yesterday, a 41-year-old man tragically lost his life on the Churchill Roosevelt Highway when his vehicle slammed into a concrete barrier at the traffic lights near the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.
Driver Andy Alleyne lost his life in that incident via the possible action of pedestrians.
As our condolences go out to his family, we trust that his untimely passing serves as a wake-up call to all citizens that caution on the roads is critical at all times.
There are reasons why laws are in place for speed limits, influenced by specific road gradients employed by road engineers during construction, that are unknown to the driver.
While there is always a need for constant review of road engineering, particularly following years of deterioration, there is no better safety mechanism than responsibility.
We support our police in all efforts they will employ to ensure that drivers abide by the laws during the festive season, which continues from now until the end of Carnival 2023.
But most importantly, it is up to us as citizens to do our parts by not throwing caution to the wind, if we are to arrive alive to all events and return home to the loving arms of our families.