483 persons died in crashes last year

A staggering 483 persons lost their lives in crashes on the nation's roads last year.

Statistics from the Road Safety Unit reveal that fatalities during curfew hours accounted for approximately 33 per cent of the total fatalities in 2021, with 161 persons being killed in 134 fatal crashes.

Head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie, is appealing to motorists to obey the rules of the road, in order to reduce traffic crashes.

McKenzie said that in many fatal accidents which occur in Jamaica, numerous factors contribute to the outcome.

"As it relates to traffic accidents, especially those that become very serious and lead to death, we have recognised that driving at excessive speeds is a really serious issue, but most of the times the gravity of injury and the nature of damage, while speeding contributes, is not usually the primary reason why the accident happened," he said.

McKenzie pointed out that two major areas of concern are persons overtaking where there is a continuous white line and overtaking on approaching a bridge or a corner, which often results in a crash.

He added that these are serious contributing factors, hence the appeal for fulsome compliance with the road code, including slowing down.

"We are trying our best to reduce speeding, to ensure that people understand that it does not make sense to make haste, because to make haste, you make waste, so let us slow down on the roads and abide by the road rules," he said.

ROAD DEATHS

SINCE 2010

2010.....................................319

2011.....................................308

2012.....................................260

2013.....................................307

2014.....................................331

2015.....................................382

2016.....................................379

2017.....................................322

2018.....................................389

2019.....................................440

2020.....................................433

2021.....................................483