Road safety 5K set for November 17

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

LAST Wednesday morning a human face was put to the road accident toll as the Grennell's Road Safety 5K was launched at the Ministry of Transports Works and Housing, Maxfield Avenue, St Andrew.

The event, to which all are invited to "run, walk or roll for the cause", is on Saturday, November 17, starting at 6:30 a.m. at Grennell's Driving School on Mona Road. Those participating "are asked to wear yellow T-shirts as a sign of hope and a pledge to stop careless and reckless driving that leads to road fatalities, injuries and emotional trauma to victims, their families and friends". Proceeds will go to the Percy Junor Hospital and the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the latter requiring equipment such as the 'jaws of life' to extricate persons trapped in crashed vehicles.

At the launch Alphonso Grennell, managing director of Grennell's Driving School, spoke about crying for his brother who was killed at six years old in a traffic mishap in Porus, Manchester, the tears coming 34 years after the death in 1975. Paula Fletcher, executive director of the National Road Safety Council held up the funeral programme of a young lady who ended up "a shell of herself" after being in a car crash on the way back from a motor racing meet.

But there were the numbers, too, Earl McLaughlin, chief executive officer of the Percy Junor Hospital speaking about the crowded facilities after two bus accidents in which numerous persons were injured and taken to the facility. The hospital is seeking to expand its accident and emergency facility, a $500-million project. And Fletcher was very optimistic about this year's road fatalities falling under 300, a figure she conceded the Federation International de l'Automobile had said was still too high for the country's population.

In organising the event, Grennell said "I wanted to see how we can bring focus on carelessness on our roads, the reckless driving, The type of driving on our road is not right. We have to do something to change this".

Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Sandy Saunders of Power 106 FM emphasised that the 5K run "is about lives". Patron of the event, Milton Samuda, said "the issue of road safety, is in my view, similar to the issue of crime. There are very few families that have not been touched by an incident on the roadway. The cost in terms of lives, what families have to deal with."

Fletcher made it clear that "road safety is a product. You are selling something". That product is tangible, as "if you lose your breadwinner, it is going to affect your life".

Minimum donations for participants are $500 for adults and $200 for children 12 years and under. To register, interested persons should call 977-5429 or visit the website www.jamaicaroadsafetyexpo.org.