WITH nine deaths less than 2008’s figure, the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) has expressed relief in a four-year downward trend in traffic fatalities.

NRSC executive director Paula Fletcher on Wednesday told Auto that unless something horrific happens in the few hours left in the year the traffic fatality figure for 2009 should be 334.

“Although we would have preferred to have a larger difference we are grateful that the figure has dropped,” Fletcher told Auto. “It is a small step but it is encouraging.”

In 2006, 371 people were killed in traffic crashes, 350 died in 2007 before again dropping to 343 in 2008.

Fletcher commended the efforts of the police and looked to greater improvements this year when the new traffic ticketing system (announced last year) will take effect.

“If it were not for the efforts of the police and others I am sure there would be more (deaths),” she commented.

“We are excited that we will have the new traffic ticketing system in the field. There can’t be laws without an effective means of enforcement,” Flecther added.

The NRSC director was optimistic about a decline in fatalities this year, given interventions she said are being planned by the council, chaired by Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

“We hope that next year we can convince more people to drive carefully,” Fletcher declared.

In the meantime, a parish road safety competition organised by the NRSC has been extended until next year.

The competition, sponsored by the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) would reward parishes which achieved the greatest decline in traffic crashes.

“We had to extend it because we had to get the parishes more involved,” Fletcher explained. “We wanted to make it more meaningful.”

Fletcher said that activities had already begun in six parishes — St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew, Westmoreland, St James, St Elizabeth and Clarendon — where public awareness events, including stage shows, were initiated.

“We started with the six worst ones and we are using various artistes to send the message,” Fletcher said.