Woman killed, two men critical in crash near St Ann–Trelawny border

One woman is dead and two men are in critical condition following a two-vehicle collision along the Queen’s Highway near the St Ann–Trelawny border on Thursday morning.

Reports are that a Toyota RAV4 SUV, which was being driven towards Discovery Bay, attempted to overtake a line of traffic when it crashed into an oncoming Toyota Hiace.

The woman, who was driving the SUV, died on the spot.

The two male passengers travelling in the RAV4 were rushed to the Falmouth Hospital in critical condition.

The driver of the Hiace was pinned inside the vehicle and had to be cut from the wreckage by firefighters.

Police and emergency responders remain on the scene.

This latest incident comes as the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) issued a warning to motorists and pedestrians to exercise extra caution during the festive Christmas season.

It said holiday traffic and ongoing hurricane recovery efforts have made road conditions more hazardous, especially in western Jamaica.

Recent NRSC statistics show an increase in road deaths in St James, where fatal crashes rose from 16 in 2024 to 27 in 2025, and fatalities jumped from 17 to 29, the council said in a statement on Thursday.

Hanover also recorded a small rise, from 18 to 20 deaths over the same period.

“We're seeing a troubling trend in our western parishes. This demands urgent action from all road users and stakeholders,” said Dr Jones, vice-chairman of the NRSC and chairman of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition.

"Too many lives have already been lost and shattered by Hurricane Melissa. As we head into the festive season, let us keep each other safe by remembering that road safety is everyone's responsibility. We are appealing to all drivers to stay alert and exercise caution on our roads."

Jamaica has recorded 308 fatal crashes and 352 road fatalities to date.

Motorcyclists were the most affected, with 106 deaths, followed by pedestrians and private motor-car drivers, each with 65 fatalities. Other fatalities included private motor-car passengers (49), pedal cyclists (22), and pillion passengers (15).

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

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