by Dr Neals Chitan
Amidst the homicide problems the region has to grapple with, there is another epidemic that’s hurting our people and stealing lives in the region, and Grenada is held by its throat by this demon.
The plague of careless road accidents is claiming the lives of children, youth, adults and seniors alike, leaving behind a trail of pain, trauma and grief, just like its best friend, “the homicide monster.”
On Sunday, 15 January 2023, St Lucia’s HTS NEWS 4ORCE reported a multi-vehicular accident in the capital city of Castries where 11 individuals were hurt. As I listened to the breaking news, I waited with bated breath to hear the combination of vehicles involved, and just as I expected, I heard that a minibus, a pickup truck and a passenger car were involved. There seem to be a common reckless behaviour and attitude of bus drivers wherever you go in the region, and they do so with people’s lives in their hands!
Despite boasting lower incidents of homicides in the Spice Island as compared to our neighbours, vehicular accidents are taking centre stage, with dozens so far in 2023 and already claiming 2 lives in Grenada. As a frequent road user who travels the eastern corridor of Grenada from St George’s to Grenville every day, I see drivers who are totally irrational, careless and disrespectful, and as a Behavior Specialist, I try to observationally reason it out. Doing so has led me to believe that the only reason why the operator of a motor vehicle, especially with passengers aboard, would behave so carelessly, must be attributed to some level of unreasonableness driven by compulsion or addiction if you please.
World Health Organisation in 2014 identified Grenada as the highest alcohol-consuming country per capita in the Caribbean. This created a national anti-drinking campaign and resulted in a decline in alcohol consumption in Grenada 4 years later, according to NOW GRENADA 27 September 2018, in an article similarly captioned. Royal Grenada Police Force enforced drunk driving laws to reduce the chances of accidents and death by intoxicated drivers. However, today, there is another “intoxication” that’s compelling drivers to engage in the irresponsible behaviour of handheld cellphone usage, texting, picture taking and video chatting — a major distraction while operating what can be a deadly weapon.
I see it on a daily basis and have frequently been the victim of the inattentive and irresponsible manoeuverings of bus drivers with a cellphone in their hands, chatting while speeding recklessly around corners. Recently, a friend told me that she had to firmly demand that the bus driver stop and put her down after her request to slow down and get off the phone was ignored. However, bus drivers are not the only culprits because every time I see a driver swerving, on the wrong side or erratically trying to regain control, I can almost bet they are on their phones. And most times, it is definitely so!!
In Canada, my home for most of my life, the traffic fines are very steep for using handheld devices while driving, and it can lead to suspension or loss of driver’s licence. Without doing any form of in-depth study on the issue, but by my close daily observations, it is my belief that to reduce the careless avoidable accidents we are seeing on our roads in Grenada, the Royal Grenada Police Force will have to beef up enforcement not only against drunk driving, but also against the use of handheld devices behind the wheel.
We must realise that enjoyable practices can become compulsive behaviour and lead to uncontrollable addictions that will condition us to respond when stimulated, despite the unsuitability of the place, circumstances or surroundings. Like Pavlov’s dog when the bell rings, our helpless compulsions will be stimulated, making us do what is unreasonable, disrespectful or even risky, thus shutting down the appeal of our good consciences, while putting others in harm’s way.
At that point in the name of public safety and nation-building, police will have to take over your decision-making and hold you accountable, thus lessening distracted driving, a major factor in reducing road accidents and fatalities in Grenada and the Caribbean region at large.
Dr Neals Chitan is an International Social Skill Consultant and Crime Reduction Specialist who holds a PhD in Social and Behavioural Sciences and currently works in Grenada. He is the President/Founder of Motiv-8 For Change International a Toronto-based Social Skill Agency and can be reached from North America at 647-692-6330 and locally 473-416-8377 or at [email protected]
What is an addicted driver?