Transport CEO says Youths Need to Break Bad Driving Habits

Over the weekend, Belize lost three young lives in separate tragic incidents and tonight, the Ministry of Transport is issuing a warning. CEO Chester Williams says enough is enough when it comes to unsafe driving habits, especially among the country’s youth. In response, the ministry is teaming up with the Belize Police Department in a nationwide push to reduce traffic fatalities. Williams says the goal is to reach young Belizeans early, before risky behavior becomes routine.

 

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport

“I can say that there is a lot that we we’re trying to do from a ministry standpoint. In terms of looking at stricter law, particularly to regulate the issue of motorcycles, because we’re seeing that majority of these accidents do involve the use of motorcycles. I found it very strange to see how two motorcycles going in opposite direction can have a head on collision. Very strange. And what is even more concerning is that every day we’re reading of these accidents on the news, we’re seeing it playing out. The news media has been extremely graphic in putting out the effect of these accidents. And despite that, we’re still seeing that our young people are not taking heed. Putting everything we’re doing at this time, the amendment to the laws, the stricter enforcement, we still have to make sure that we do more sensitization particularly among our younger population. Because there need to be an attitude change among that group of persons to let them come to the realization that driving or riding a motorcycle is dangerous. And whilst you might feel or seem like fun at the moment it can become very deadly, easily. So that’s why we want to do the more sensitization putting together some infomercials. We’re also working with the standard of Bureau to see how we can legislate, save the helmets as our standard helmets to be used in Belize. We’re looking at three different types of helmets and we’re copying in what Jamaica has done. Because this issue of motorcycle do not only exist in Belize.”

 

It’s a call for change, and a reminder that road safety starts with all of us.