Safety unit eyes older drivers

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

With fatalities among Jamaica's senior citizens still high, the Road Safety Unit (RSU) at the Ministry of Transport and Works has produced a report it hopes will make life safer on the roads for the elderly.

Kenute Hare, a director at the RSU, said The Elderly In The Traffic Environment was recently completed. It is a guide to safe road practices for elder drivers, riders and pedestrians.

Hare did not disclose a release date for the publication but said it is part of a public awareness programme geared at seniors.

"Currently, we are working on an advertisement for elders under the Road Scholar 2010 project. We actually worked on it with the National Council for Senior Citizens," Hare explained.

He expects the ad to be released in April.

A February 25 traffic accident involving a 69-year-old driver in Portmore has revived the question of age when it comes to issuing drivers licences.

That incident resulted in the death of a teenaged student. The driver, who had lost control of his vehicle, was also killed.

Road fatalities among Jamaican seniors have been consistently high in the last 10 years, with 545 deaths reported by the RSU during 2000-2010. In that period, there was a high of 68 deaths in 2004 and a low of 45 in 2009.

Fifty-five senior citizens died in traffic accidents in 2010.

Pedestrian deaths also a concern

Dr Lucien Jones, vice-chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), agreed that pedestrian deaths among seniors remains a concern for that organisation. He told Automotives that it will be among the issues scheduled for discussion during its monthly meeting this week with Prime Minister Bruce Golding, the NRSC chairman.

Officials from the RSU, police traffic division, Transport Authority and Island Traffic Authority (ITA) are also expected to attend the meeting.

Hare has said many senior citizens who are casualties of traffic accidents, were not wearing seat belts or helmets. Statistics from the RSU also show improper road use was responsible for some deaths of elderly pedestrians.

The RSU considers motorists over 62 years senior citizens, although the ITA, which issues drivers licenses, does not have an age limit for drivers. Hare says older drivers are rigorously scrutinised by insurance companies before getting the green light to drive.