IN an effort to stem road fatalities, the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Ministry of Transport, Work and Housing will be airing infomercials on the use of seat belts.

Since the beginning of the year, 13 persons have lost their lives on the island's roadways. This is six more than last year over a similar period.

Kenute Hare, RSU director, is attributing the majority of deaths to persons not wearing seat belts.

"Eight drivers/passengers died needlessly for failing to wear seat belts and helmets," Hare told Auto yesterday.

The RSU director said the lone pedal cyclist killed in a recent accident was not wearing any protective head gear.

"He had on no helmet," he said.

Hare said his organisation would also be urging law enforcement officers to crack down on delinquent road users, including pedestrians.

"I'm using this medium to appeal to pedestrians to be very careful and wear light-coloured clothing when using the roads so they are more visible to motorists, especially those who ply roadways without street lights," the director urged.

Last year, the death toll on the roads was 256. This was the first since 1999 that under 300 persons were killed on public thoroughfares.