Pedestrian laws required

THE Barbados Road Safety Association (BRSA) is suggesting that Government should give consideration to introducing penalties for pedestrian offences.

 

President of the BRSA, Sharmane Roland-Bowen, speaking to The Barbados Advocate recently, explained that the association does not want to hold up the passage of the proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, but feels that once those amendments become law, the authorities should look at ensuring that pedestrians’ rights are matched by responsibilities. She admits that the Act would need to be amended again, and would need to include appropriate fines and or sentences for offenders.

 

She made the point while noting that practically every day there are pedestrians who are still crossing over the jersey barriers on the ABC highway and others crossing the road within sight distance of zebra crossings. She said that just as other countries have jaywalking laws, Barbados may need to contemplate introducing similar legislation. The road safety advocate is adamant that if crossing the jersey barriers was made illegal, it would help deter persons from engaging in this dangerous practice. Also of concern, she stated, are the risks posed by pedestrians who are intoxicated and persons who use their cell phones while walking.

 

“Pedestrians do also have a responsibility, a duty of care to other road users and they need to recognise this. Sometimes we also need to protect persons against themselves, similarly to what we did with the introduction of the seatbelt laws when we forced people for their own safety and their own protection to buckle up. We need to force pedestrians to exercise caution on our roads,” she maintained.

 

Roland-Bowen added, “The fact is that pedestrians who cross the road indiscriminately are also a threat to other road users. The first instinct that the driver will have is to try to avoid hitting them, but it may cause him to veer into the path of other traffic, and result in a collision. So pedestrians need to act on their responsibility as safe road users and be held accountable for the wrong things they do. Doing that would no doubt help to save lives and make our roads safer.”