Auto

Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) may not save 300 lives this year, but if the trend continues they will save 88 lives from last year's figure.

As of June 4, 108 crashes caused the deaths of 115 persons, a 30 per cent reduction from last year's figure of 145 crashes, 164 fatalities. A total of 343 persons died last year.

Derrick Thompson, third vice-president of the JGRA and the chairman of the Association's Road Safety Committee, speaking at the launch of the National Road Safety awareness month, at the Bethel Baptist Church in Bog walk last Sunday said much emphasis will be placed on the role of the passengers.

"It is important to note that our tag line this year Save 300 lives — Empowering Passengers rings loudly in our ears. I want to commend the efforts of the National Road Safety Council, and its umbrella groups such as the JGRA, for the 30 per cent reduction we are seeing so far in the number of road crashes and ultimately road fatalities. It is important to take note of the last part of the tag line, and I find it particularly instructive [empowering passengers]. Since most of our population commute by pubic transport, it is important to empower the average passenger to hold the driver of these public passenger vehicles accountable for how they use the roads."

- Anthony Minott