41 people killed in traffic crashes since Jan 1

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Ministry of Transport and Mining is encouraging road users to exercise extreme caution on the roads this year.

Since the start of the year 41 people have died on the nation’s roads.

Director of the RSU Kenute Hare is therefore urging drivers to desist from using their motor vehicles to create mayhem on the roadways as “the reduction of crashes and fatalities can only be achieved by correcting careless behaviour patterns”.

According to Hare the majority of Jamaica’s road crashes are related to bad driving practices and very poor judgment and as such, he is desirous of motorists to change their behaviour and think of other road users.

“These deaths cause a great deal of suffering for the people who have lost a loved one or who are left with life changing injuries,” said Hare.

Statistics from the RSU reveal that the main cause of the crashes last year were due to excessive speeding, disobeying traffic sign/signals, swerving, failure to keep left, and following too closely or tailgating.