Danger on the Roadways - 359 Motor Vehicles Crashes…and Counting

There has been great debate about whether or not there should be the implementation of stringent measures to handle the reckless, rushed and raucous driving on the roadways, across the country. The recent debate has been sparked by three separate motor vehicle crashes that occurred last week.

According to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Statistics since January 1, the total recorded number of road fatalities is now raised to 359, which is 45 or 14 per cent more than last year.

On Friday, November 8, police reported that Tyrone Riley, a 33-year-old labourer of Windsor Road, Spanish Town, died after he sustained injuries, during a motor vehicle collision along Wynter’s main road in Spanish Town.

It was reported that at approximately 3:15 a.m., residents heard a loud impact outside and went to investigate; they were said to have deciphered that a Nissan Tiida motorcar had crashed into a business establishment.

The police arrived on the scene and observed that Riley was slumped over the steering wheel. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Another incident happened after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, when Omar Bernard, a 21-year-old, farmer of Hall's Delight district in Mavis Bank, St Andrew, died following a motor vehicle crash on Content Valley main road in the parish.

According to police reports, Bernard was a pillion on a motorcycle when the handle of the motorcycle slammed against a pedestrian. Bernard reportedly fell off the back and, in the process, hit an embankment. After that, he was also hit by the wheel of an Isuzu motor truck that was travelling in the opposite direction.

Bernard sustained multiple injuries and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police officers said that the investigation is ongoing as no helmets were worn.

Another one happened when Clifford Lawrence, an 82-year-old farmer in the Retirement district in St. Ann, was the latest victim of a motor vehicle accident. It was reported that Lawrence was hit by a motorcar while walking along Retirement main road at around 5:00 p.m. The driver is awaiting prosecution.

According to the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport, 23 persons died in a motor vehicle crash in October, which was the lowest for the year; April recorded the highest with 48 road fatalities.

A great question would be, what is happening on the roads? Well, it is clear that no driver wants to wait; everyone is in a rush to go God knows where.

But I thought it would be better to arrive at your destination safely, rather than not arriving at all and ending up in a body bag.

Take, for example, the disturbing and callous incident on Eastwood Park Road in October. Two people were mowed down by a Toyota Probox motor car when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.

The JCF’s Corporate Communications Unit stated that the driver fled the scene but both he and the owner of the vehicle were later apprehended to answer to the charges. Imagine that you are walking on a sidewalk, going about your daily activities only to get mowed down by a reckless driver and end up in a hospital with critical injuries. This is not how the roads should be; this is not safe.

With the advent of new smooth roads (and more to come), the increasing number of cars on the road in addition to people who are ‘buying’ their licences, what will the figures look like in the next two years?

We are almost at the end of the year and we are close to 400 motor vehicle deaths, not accident…deaths. Ministers, something has to be done.