Road deaths climb despite efforts
As Jamaica’s road fatalities speed towards another 400-plus deaths for the year, the National Road safety Council (NRSC) and the Road safety Unit (RSU) are desperately seeking effective reduction strategies.
According to the figures released by the RSU yesterday, 353 people have been killed in 314 fatal crashes since January 1, 2021.
The same report, issued by the RSU, an arm of the Ministry of Transport and Mining, states that fatal crashes and fatalities have increased by two per cent and three per cent, respectively, when compared with similar period in
2020.
With road fatalities reaching 440 people in 2019 and 424 in 2020, and with the highly lethal period leading up to Christmas and the New Year fast approaching, the indications are that this year is trending ahead of the corresponding period for last year.
Head of the Mona Geo-informatics Institute Dr Parris Lyew-ayee Jr is predicting that road deaths will show up between 435 and 472 by the end of 2021. He believes that in analysing road crashes, attention should also be paid to incorporating road-safety measures into road construction designs and the causes of traffic collisions.
However, in the meantime, these latest figures from the RSU have shown the following:
* During curfew hours, 115 people have been killed in 92 crashes since the start of the year;
* Fatalities during curfew hours account for 33 per cent of the total fatalities since the start of the year; and,
* Fatal crashes and fatalities during curfew hours have increased by 109 per cent and 140 per cent, respectively, when compared with the similar period in 2020.
Pedestrians account for 20 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year; pedal cyclists account for five per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year; private motor vehicle drivers account for 18 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year.
Private motor vehicle passengers account for 13 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year; motorcyclists account for 35 per cent; commercial motor vehicle passengers account for two per cent; commercial motor vehicle drivers account for zero point nine per cent (0.9 per cent).
In addition, public passenger vehicle drivers account for one per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year; pillion passengers account for three per cent; public passenger vehicle passengers account for three per cent; while, vulnerable road users (pedestrian, pedal cyclists, motorcyclist and pillion riders) account for 63 per cent.
Passengers account for 20 per cent of the road users killed since the start of the year; Males account for 88 per cent and females 12 per cent.
In terms of parish by parish: Westmoreland accounts for 14 per cent of the overall road users killed since the start of the year; St Catherine accounts for 19 per cent; Area 1,which includes Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, accounts for 32 per cent; Area 2 (Portland, St Mary, St Ann) accounts for 11 per cent; Area 3 (Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth) accounts for 22 per cent; Area 4 (St Andrew Central, St Andrew South, Kingston Eastern, Kingston Central and Kingston Western) accounts for 12 per cent; and Area 5 (St
Andrew North, St Catherine North, St Catherine South and St Thomas) accounts for 23 per cent.
Despite these figures, there is evidence that the NRSC, which incidentally is chaired by Prime Minister Andrew Holness; the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), which is now headed by former RSU boss Kenute Hare; current RSU director Deidre Hudson Sinclair; and NRSC Executive Director Paula Fletcher have been hard at work trying to limit the deaths.
Fletcher noted that since motorcyclists overtook pedestrian fatalities in 2015, the trend has continued despite the measures implemented to reduce road deaths.
One of the suggested solutions was for a training programme for motorcyclists which would have numerous components, including certification standards for bikers, a zero-tolerance plan for motorcyclists to wear helmets, a certification curriculum, motorcycle assembly standards and the development and installation of motorcycle simulators.
She says that the intervention has been bearing fruit among the bike drivers, a development which has been verified by the Area One police.
“There have been no fatalities that we know of among bikers that have been trained between August 2020 and July 2021, and the Area One police report that they see an increased use of the wearing of helmets by these bikers,” she said.
The programme has distributed
700 helmets to the bike drivers. Each participant received two, one for the driver and one for the pillion, and on day one of the two-day training programme, the drivers’ heads were measured to ensure that they received proper-fitting helmets, while they were allowed to choose the size for the second one.
The helmets were sponsored by Federation Internationale de l’automobile (FIA), which is the governing body of motor sport and promoter of safe, sustainable and accessible mobility for road users across the world.
“There are approximately 150 bikers who have been put on a path to acquire driver’s licences. Once they pass the yard test, the police present us with the pass list, and we hand it to the Island Traffic Authority (ITA)” Fletcher said.
The programme was funded by the MNS at a cost of $15 million under the Ministry Transport and Mining’s “Liv Gud” programme,which is focused on the western end of the island regarded as a hotbed for motorbike fatalities.
Simulators have been installed at Petersfield and at Grange Hill, where two repurposed containers have been set up as a training facility.