Fiery ABC Highway crash hurts five; road safety chief urges caution

Five people were hospitalised following a fiery four-vehicle crash along the ABC Highway during the Thursday morning rush hour, prompting renewed calls for caution from the president of the Road Safety Association, Roland Lowe.

The accident occurred around 7:30 a.m. between the Kingsland junction at the Deighton Griffith Secondary School and the Henry Forde Roundabout at Newton. Initial reports indicate that three vehicles were travelling towards Kingsland while a fourth was heading in the opposite direction when the collision took place.

Scene of the four-vehicle accident

During the impact, two of the four vehicles caught fire, prompting a swift response from emergency personnel. Five injured people were transported by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. Police are continuing investigations into the incident.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY, Lowe said that while the full circumstances surrounding the collision are still unclear, he has observed a worrying increase in road accidents across the island in recent months.

“Relative to the accidents on the road, I could share my concern too because I’ve been noticing some accidents in my travels, some minor, but it’s been a bit more frequent than before. It is a bit concerning and sometimes you wonder what might be the cause of these accidents.”

Lowe pointed to driver inattention as a recurring issue, particularly distractions such as mobile phone use.

“One thing that I would implore citizens to be cautious on the road, be attentive because sometimes a lot of these accidents happen because sometimes the drivers being inattentive… maybe paying attention to the phone and looking away. It one takes a brief moment, and then you could find yourself involved in an accident.”

He also raised concerns about the growing tendency for risky overtaking, particularly by less experienced drivers:

“There’s no need for you to overtake four and five and six guys when the situation does not allow for it, or you’re actually involving yourself in a dangerous manoeuvre. Don’t take these unnecessary chances because you’re not only putting yourself at risk, but you’re putting other persons at risk as well.”

Emphasising the island’s relatively small size, Lowe said there is little justification for reckless driving in an effort to save time:

“This is a relatively small island… it doesn’t take long to get from one point of the island to the next, so you don’t need to do these things… If you know you want to get somewhere for a particular time, plan your route, plan your destination, and leave early, leave home early.”

Lowe further noted that the increasing presence of electric vehicles on the roads may also be contributing to some incidents, particularly among drivers unfamiliar with their rapid acceleration:

“I’ve had opportunity to test drive some electric vehicles. I’ve noticed the same thing… It’s always in that quote-unquote ‘sweet spot’ between the accelerator and the response that you get… persons might not be familiar with that and may not have had experience with it. We just wanna ask just to be a bit more cautious.”

It was not immediately known whether electric vehicles were involved in Thursday’s crash.

He reiterated his call for patience, attentiveness, and responsible driving habits as key measures to help reduce accidents and improve road safety across Barbados. 

Scene of the four-vehicle accident

Scene of the four-vehicle accident

Scene of the four-vehicle accident

Scene of the four-vehicle accident

(SB)