Fire Brigade encourages drivers to be more careful

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is urging motorists to exercise greater caution on the nation's roadways.

This follows a revelation of a slight increase in the number of motor vehicle crashes the JFB responded to last year, when compared to 2023. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank recently, JFB Commissioner Stewart Beckford said the entity responded to 1,135 motor vehicle crashes in 2024, a 1.3 per cent increase from the 1,120 incidents recorded in 2023. The Westmoreland Division recorded the highest number of crashes, with 428 incidents, representing a 37.7 per cent increase from the 390 crashes in 2023. St James had the second-highest number of crashes, accounting for 13 per cent of the total. St Thomas, although recording the lowest number of accidents, saw a significant percentage increase of 183 per cent.

"We suspect that this number is going to grow, given that the highway is almost at an end," Beckford said, referring to the new roadway infrastructure in the area. He also implored motorists to obey traffic laws, adhere to speed limits, avoid reckless overtaking, and never drive under the influence.

"The police, the Island Traffic Authority, and the Road Safety Unit will tell you that a lot of the accidents we have seen on our roads are a result of speeding," he said. Beckford also noted the troubling trends of motorists failing to consider their own safety, improperly overtaking and driving under the influence of alcohol.

"While the number of road fatalities has decreased, it is still far too high. We turn up at accident scenes and sometimes the inside of the car looks like a bar. If you have to drive, do not drink. And if you have to drink, have a designated driver," Beckford advised. He further raised concerns about young drivers modifying their vehicles for increased speed.

"Some of them install liquefied petroleum gas nitrogen tanks in their cars to give them more power. When they hit the gas pedal, it (the car) is like an aeroplane taking off. There are no roads here for that level of speed and this is why when they crash, the vehicles burst into flames," he said.