As horrific images from the recent spate of motor vehicle crashes made the rounds on social media and elsewhere, it fuelled debate yet again about Jamaicans’ driving habits and ways to curb the carnage on our roads. Statistics from the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport, Works & Housing (MTWH) show that after less than 65 days since the start of the year, a total of 56 people have been killed on the nation’s roads.
Of that number, 46 are males and 10 females. That’s five more than the previous year when a total of 43 males had perished compared to eight females.
Males 30-34 are most at risk for fatal crashes with 10 deaths to date, while the safest is the 0-4 age group. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and PMC passengers account for the most deaths year-on-year with figures of 15, 14 and 12, respectively since 2015.
The problem, Alphonso Grennell of Grennell’s Driving School, says, and which must immediately be addressed, is DRIVER ATTITUDE.
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