Barely a week after the fatal accident in Lamin village that claimed the lives of five individuals, another fatal accident occurred yesterday at Tallinding, opposite the former Zodiac Night Club, along the Brikama-Serrekunda highway.

The accident, according to eyewitnesses, claimed the life of a young man, whose identity was not known, and left another woman (name not known) seriously injured. Speaking to journalists at the scene, Cpl Modou Lamin K Suso, GAF military police, an eyewitness, said the ten seater passenger vehicle (van), with registration number BJl 3979 F, driven by one Ousman Suwareh, a resident of Tallinding, was coming from Tabokoto, moving towards Westfield.

Upon arrival at Tallinding where the accident occurred, Cpl Suso said, the driver saw a boy trying to cross the road with a bicycle. "While trying to avoid the boy with the bicycle, the driver went off the road and hit a young man (name unknown) with a wheelbarrow and he died instantly," Cpl Suso revealed.

He disclosed that about four passengers, all ladies, sustained serious injuries. Musa Sumareh, another eyewitness also said: "The over speeding driver, went off the road, hit the young man who was standing on the foot path, and knocked another vehicle with the registration number URD 1728 A, which also hit another truck registration number BJL 7784 E, that was packed in front, leading to the death of the young man," said Suwareh.

Superintendent Fadia Jarjue, officer commanding Mobile Traffic, said the accidents are now rampant in society, citing the accident that happened at Bond Road in Banjul, few days ago. Supt. Jarjue said the driver of the vehicle, Ousman Suwareh, is currently in police custody, adding that the victims (the deceased and another woman seriously injured), are currently at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul. He revealed that the driver was over speeding and eventually left the road, thereby hitting a pedestrian (the deceased) and seriously injured another woman.

According to him, the police have done enough sensitisation for drivers. He advised drivers to always maintain their speed limits in town to 25 km per hour. ASP Sulayman Secka, the public relations officer of the Gambia Police Force, said drivers are reckless and attributed all the fatal accidents to reckless driving. According to the PRO Secka, it is indicated in the licence of every driver that they are allowed to drive 70 km/h on highways and 25km/h in residentials areas. The police spokesperson also used the opportunity to call on all stakeholders, the passengers, vehicle owners, among others, to sensitise drivers to drive carefully, so as to save lives.