A 12-year-old boy has a message for road users: slow down, put away the phone, and remember that a moment of recklessness can leave a family’s chair empty forever.
Omari Batson delivered the warning during an impromptu speech competition after being selected among the three highest-performing students in a Public Speaking course at the American University of Peace Studies.
The soon-to-be First Form student at St. Stanislaus College, who also pursued a short course in Criminal Law during his summer vacation, focused his speech on the human cost of road accidents and the families left waiting for loved ones who never make it home.
“These may seem like small actions, but one careless decision can change a life forever. Imagine a mother waiting for her son or daughter to come home.
Imagine a husband waiting for his wife. Imagine a wife waiting for her husband. Imagine grandparents waiting to see their grandchildren again. Imagine a family sitting around the dinner table only to have one chair remain empty,” Batson said.
He cited the 74 lives lost on Guyana’s roads as of August 4, stressing that behind every road death is someone who is loved.
“Behind every number is a person. A mother, a father, a husband, a wife, a grandparent, a child, a sibling, or even a friend.
These are not just statistics. These are people who are loved,” Batson said.
He said road safety is not the responsibility of drivers alone, extending his message to passengers, pedestrians and cyclists and urging everyone to recognise their role in preventing road tragedies.
“So to every driver, I say, slow down, put away the phone, wear your seatbelt, and obey the road rules. To pedestrians and cyclists, stay alert. To passengers, speak up when a driver is being reckless and to all my Guyanese, remember, we are not obstacles to each other, we are people,” Batson said.
For the young speaker, the goal is simple: ensuring every person who leaves home has the chance to return safely. He said while everyone wants to reach their destination, the most important destination is home, and that road safety begins with each individual.
