Two of the vehicles involved in a four-vehicle collision along the Melrose bypass in Manchester on Friday night. -Norman Grindley photoTeino Evans, Staff Reporter
A SEVERE lack of equipment used to monitor traffic violations has made it difficult for the Jamaica Constabulary Force to carry out its work.
According to the JCF, they have had to become more selective in monitoring certain areas while police officers, minus equipment, carry out checks in others.
Owen Ellington, Senior Super-intendent in charge of traffic at the Police Traffic Division headquarters in Kingston, said limited resources can cause reduced attention to be paid to certain areas.
He cited the need for more speed guns and breathalyser centres islandwide. Currently, the Police Force has only nine functional speed guns to serve the entire island and only six of the 15 breathalyser centres are active. Three of these centres are located at the Hunts Bay, Constant Spring and Central Village police stations.
Normally, individuals who are suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol are tested on the spot. Based on the reading, they may be taken to a breathalyser centre for a second screening.
"We will need a minimum of 50 speed guns and 20 breathalyser centres to be strategically located islandwide in order to get the effect that we need," said Senior Superintendent Ellington.
408 FATALITIES LAST YEAR
According to the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), 369 road accidents and a total of 408 fatalities were recorded for last year. The tally up to September 2, 2003 stood at 206 accidents and 232 deaths.
The Road Safety Unit (RSU) which monitors accident statistics, says that there has been a nine per cent decline in the number of road fatalities compared to the same period last year. There were 256 deaths compared to 232 since the start of this year.
Senior Superintendent Ellington attributed the traffic accidents and fatalities to improper overtaking, reckless driving, speeding, pedestrians walking out into the road and motorists swerving suddenly to avoid potholes. "Our real concerns right now are the moving violations," he said. "Accident fatalities occur largely because of speeding and not seat-belt and helmet violations as most persons may believe. The compliance rate of the use of seat-belts is very high."
Efforts by The Sunday Gleaner to get the number of persons fined for seat-belt and helmet violations were unsuccessful as computer systems were being upgraded at the Police Traffic Division headquarters.
However, SSP Ellington, who is also the Commanding Officer for the Police Traffic Division headquarters in Kingston, contended that the prosecution of traffic offenders was not having the desired effect.
"Although fines have been increased, people continue to break traffic laws that ultimately result in accidents," he said.
