Ministry of Home Affairs and Police launch new traffic safety campaign “Don’t Risk It”

By BBN Staff: Today the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Belize Police Department launched a new traffic safety campaign titled “Don’t risk it” aimed at reducing road traffic accidents due to speeding.

To mark the launch of the campaign, Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa along with Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, visited the Belmopan vehicle checkpoint (VCP) to hand out flyers to drivers, spreading awareness about the campaign and risks involved with speeding.

“This new safety campaign is a strategy to encourage motorists to please ‘don’t risk’ their lives while driving above the speed limit & to reach home safely to their families, especially during this Lent period,” the Police Department said.

It is a widely held belief in Belize that traveling during Lent is riskier than other parts of the year. And while much of that belief is founded on religious principles, data compiled by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) shows that there were 85 fatal traffic accidents in the year 2019, which killed 103 people.

That data showed that driver negligence was the single greatest cause of traffic accident deaths, accounting for 25 of the total number of accidents; with loss of vehicle control and hit and run driving taking up the second and third places. Car occupants had the highest percentage of traffic accident deaths (23 percent) followed by motorcycle riders (22 percent) and then cyclists (18 percent). There were also deaths related to tire blowouts, pedestrian negligence, passenger negligence, and deaths resulting from the driver being temporarily blinded.

All of the major causes of fatal traffic accidents are compounded by speeding. The year 2020 would show a dramatic reduction in automobile accident deaths; however, that reduction would have largely been attributed to the restrictions on movement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Breaking Belize News joins with the Ministry and Police in encouraging drivers to keep their risk level for accidents as low as possible by maintaining the speed limit and driving with due care and attention.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.

© 2021, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.