Gov’t moves to curb deadly truck speeding with mandatory speed limiters
Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert, has announced that the Government will soon introduce mandatory speed governors on heavy-duty trucks, describing it as the country’s strongest step yet to tackle deadly speeding along major roadways.
Lambert, speaking on the weekly “Road Safety and You” programme, said the new Auto Control Speed Management System (ACSMS) was recently discussed with truck owners and sector representatives. He explained that crashes involving trucks remain one of Guyana’s most troubling road safety issues, with 30 such accidents recorded in 2023 and 25 in 2024. Over the past five years, trucks were linked to about 40 per cent of all road fatalities, second only to private vehicles. Many of these collisions, he noted, were head-on or involved jackknifing, often triggered by speeding on narrow, uneven or high-traffic corridors.
According to Lambert, the ACSMS uses a tamper-resistant NXS-4 device, which relies on GPS technology to track speed, route history and location in real time. The unit limits acceleration beyond a preset threshold, meaning once the legal limit is programmed, the truck “cannot go beyond that.” Any attempt to interfere with the device will automatically trigger alerts.
Data from the system will be fed directly to the Guyana Police Force’s Traffic Department, removing subjectivity from enforcement and ensuring automated compliance. Lambert pointed out that traditional speed guns and manual monitoring can no longer keep up with the country’s rapidly expanding network of highways. He also highlighted that many imported trucks once had regulated speed controls but those were later disabled, especially since some drivers earn more based on the number of trips they complete.
Lambert noted that highways such as the EBD, ECD and the Georgetown–Soesdyke corridor face heavy commercial traffic tied to mining, construction and oil and gas operations. These roadways, which are affected by issues like narrow lanes, poor nighttime visibility and flood-prone sections, have seen repeated high-severity crashes involving trucks.
Implementation of the ACSMS involves several agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs will oversee policy and budgeting, while the Police Force will handle installation, verification, enforcement and data analysis. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards will certify devices and approve installers, and the National Data Management Authority will manage data security and system integration. The Attorney General’s Chambers is drafting legislative amendments to support the rollout. Stakeholder consultations are ongoing, including a recent session at Eve Leary where truckers voiced concerns about the impact on their operations.
Lambert said the initiative supports Guyana’s development push by ensuring safer highways as the country’s transportation corridors expand. He called the ACSMS a bold and necessary measure to protect lives and strengthen the safety of the national road network.
