Gov’t donates 2,000 helmets for motorcyclists

The Government has bolstered the work of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition (NHWC) by donating 2,000 helmets for distribution to motorcyclists islandwide.

Speaking during the handover of the protective gears at the corporate offices of the Jamaica National Group on Oxford Road in St Andrew on Wednesday, Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang said too many motorcyclists, especially young males, are being maimed from crashes. Consequently, he said the administration sees the need to support efforts to have safety on the roads with the donation of the helmets, which cost $28 million.

According to the National Road Safety Council, approximately 600 motorcyclists have been killed on Jamaica's roads since 2012, more than 90 per cent of whom were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash. Data from the Transport Ministry, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, indicate that these fatalities account for approximately 30 per cent of total deaths caused by road crashes in Jamaica over the period.