Ascension : POLICE ACTIVITY REPORT
Submitted by The Islander (Police Ascension) 22.01.2009 (Article Archived on 05.02.2009)

It as been a sad week on our roads with two collisions happening one person being hospitalised, two people being investigated for drink drive offences, ten people dealt with for speeding offences, and three for having defective vehicle lights.

It as been a sad week on our roads with two collisions happening one person being hospitalised, two people being investigated for drink drive offences, ten people dealt with for speeding offences, and three for having defective vehicle lights.

Over the following weeks, we will be conducting a speeding campaign in areas where we have received complaints of speeding from members of the community.  This will be Georgetown and the US Base area.  If you are caught, do not say we did not warn you.  Speed enforcement will continue randomly throughout the island.

Why are we doing this, firstly in response to the complaints of speeding from various sections of the community?  Secondly because road deaths are the highest cause of unnatural death on the island and the biggest cause of injuries.  Which in turn causes a cost implication to the taxpayers of the island?

For the size of the population of the island, the death and injury rate is far higher than most countries in Europe and the USA.  The Police alone cannot resolve the problem, all we can do is try to prevent, prosecute and investigate collisions and traffic offences.  The community as to play its part by driving and acting responsibly, and not tolerating bad driving on our roads.  In addition, the lawmakers of the community and elected representatives, the road designers and maintainers, all have a role to play in reducing deaths and injuries.

All too many times in my now long police career, I have been at the side of the road waiting for an ambulance with a badly injured body of the victim of a road traffic collision.  Shocked and dazed moaning or screaming in pain, gurgling as they breathe through their own blood, heads and faces like squashed tomatoes lying in pools of thick congealing blood.  Covered in blood, dust or mud sometimes dying there, or being seriously injured for life.  Not many people see the consequences and we all think it will never happen to us.  It might not be you’re fault some other person driving recklessly might plough into you, killing or maiming you or a member of your family.

Notice I do not use the word accident.  Accident implies there is no fault !

Dave SISMEY

Sergeant

Ascension Island Police