BROKOPONDO – The district commissioner of Brokopondo Center, Gregory Van der Kamp, recently sounded the alarm over the dangerous street races that are held on the public road in Brownsweg.

A video that shows a car speeding through the village while performing dangerous stunts has gone viral and has triggered concerns regarding traffic safety. A group of bystanders gathered in the village to watch the stunts upclose. There were also many children standing among those bystanders. “The public road is not a race track,” said the DC who added that such behavior could have serious consequences when a driver loses control over the steering wheel. Not only the lives of the driver and the passengers are at stake but also those of moped riders, cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers and other people who are on or alongside the road. The residents of Brownsweg must be able to move freely without having to live in fear of vehicles that come tearing through the village. The DC made it clear that “it is irresponsible to hold such activities in normal traffic and the public.” The presence of children is also cause for concern because those young children are oblivious to the danger. If the driver of the race car makes a mistake, it could result in a serious accident that could claim several lives. The DC therefore issued a stern warning to the organization behind the street races. He explained that Brownsweg must not be turned into a venue where human lives are put in danger. “If people want to conduct races or stunts, they must do so at suitable and safe locations under supervision,” said DC Van der Kamp who urged parents to keep an eye on their children. “An accident could happen in a fraction of a second.” The videos that have gone viral must be seen as a wake-up call.