While traffic fatalities are way down over the same period last year authorities are nonetheless voicing concerns about the number of private motor vehicle drivers and passengers being killed.

“We need to send a strong message to drivers who don’t care…too many private motor vehicle drivers and passengers are dying,” commented Kenute Hare, director of the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the transport ministry.

Both categories total 50 deaths since the start of the year with 25 fatalities each, and according to the RSU, the below 300 target could be attained this year if more attention was paid to safety devices.

“To this end we are imploring passengers not to travel in motor cars that are not equipped with seatbelts,” said Hare.

He added that 572 private motor vehicle passengers were killed in crashes between 2001 and 2009 and a “high percentage of these persons were not wearing seatbelts”.

The RSU projects road fatalities to end up slightly over 300 this year.

Last year 341 people were killed in traffic crashes.

In the meantime, traffic fatalities to July 15 stands at 149, compared to 200 over the same period last year.