Road deaths top 300...again

For a seventh straight year, Jamaica has failed to keep road deaths below the target of 300.

Despite a number of initiatives aimed at reducing the carnage on the roads, the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport reports that 302 persons have died on the nation’s roadways this year with just over three months remaining.

This is a 16 per cent jump when compared with the 261 road fatalities recorded over the corresponding period last year, according to the latest figures published by the Road Safety Unit.

The last time Jamaica recorded under 300 road deaths was in 2012 when 260 persons died on the nation’s roadways.

Last year, a total of 389 persons died in motor vehicle crashes.

The Road Safety Unit has also revised the number of road deaths recorded in August upwards from 26 to 30.

The revised figure means that Jamaica has recorded 30 or more road fatalities every month since the start of the year.

The figures reveal, too, road deaths have increased across several categories of road users, including children, the elderly, pedestrians and motorcyclists.

According to the Road Safety Unit, 21 children and 92 motorcyclists have died in crashes this year, increases of 31 per cent and 48 per cent respectively when compared with the similar period last year.

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