Editorial | Road deaths put the nation at risk

The grim fact that more than 450 people have been killed in traffic-related accidents so far this year is part of the larger ongoing tragedy that is playing out on Jamaican roads where reckless behaviour and lawlessness appear to be on the rise.

Last year was a record-breaking year, with 487 road fatalities causing incalculable human suffering and economic loss to families, as well as creating more stress on the already overburdened health services. Things are not looking any better this year and this has reignited concerns at the highest levels.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is also the chairman of the National Road Safety Council, warned of a looming crisis, saying it was urgent to address the lack of order on our roads. Mr Holness is hopeful that when the new Road Traffic Act comes into being it will mitigate the road carnage.

The fact that the act was passed in 2018 and is still to be effected could send a signal to the unlawful among us that there is no urgency, no seriousness about punishing transgressors or lawbreakers. There can be no half-hearted implementation of the act.

Over time, various initiatives, public education programmes and strategies have been undertaken to address the reckless behaviour of road users. For example, the police have been in the schools sensitising students and traffic wardens have been placed at some school gates.

The breathalyser test, seat belt law, ticketing system and wearing of helmets were introduced over time to address the problem. The success of these initiative has to be measured by the degree of compliance and the numbers. The numbers tell the story of a crisis in the making.

Laxity in implementing traffic rules is believed to be the reason for a great deal of road recklessness. The Traffic Department of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is required to maintain vigilance on the roads, particularly along so-called crash spots and other vulnerable areas. We submit that mounting roadblocks at the same predictable spots day after day will not yield the desired effect of keeping errant road-users in check.

It comes as no surprise that 130 motorcyclists have been killed so far this year, for it is not unusual to witness motorcyclists driving erratically, threading their way through traffic, running red lights or driving on the wrong side of the road, as they hustle to deliver packages or meals.

Mr Holness told a UN forum last year that loss of lives, cost of injuries and the consequences of lost income are often devastating, as he launched an appeal for financial aid to help developing countries implement sustainable measures to reduce road-traffic deaths. The UN’s goal is to half road deaths by 2030.

It seems clear to us that, even though agencies like UNICEF have been helping, developing countries like Jamaica will have to help themselves. So what will it take to get people to slow down and become more responsible? First, it has to be a multi-disciplinary approach which brings together law enforcement, licensing authority, consumer groups, healthcare providers, insurance companies, driving schools and other stakeholders.

A strict licensing regime is required so that only people who have been successful in their driving tests can be behind the wheel of a vehicle. The contributory factors to road accidents are well known. They include recklessness, speeding, overloading, poor maintenance of vehicles, drunk driving, driver impairment and poor road conditions.

Road deaths are preventable. There exists a wide range of road safety interventions and scientific solutions to tackle the problem of road safety. We have various laws, rules and regulations. What we lack is the will to enforce them.