A deadly Emancipation weekend claimed the lives of 12 people from five fatal crashes, pushing the road deaths to 183, a six per cent increase over the same period last year.

According to the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the ministry of transport and works, up to July, 28, 171 persons lost their lives in 128 fatal crashes .

But last Emancipation weekend turned up five fatal crashes, drastically pushing up the number of road fatalities.

“We had several multiple fatalities and one of the main problems was speeding,” RSU director Kenute Hare commented. “We urge people, if they want to indulge in speeding there is Dover raceway, not on the roads,” declared the RSU director while adding a caution for patrons at the upcoming weekend race meet.

“After Dover we know you are excited but the road is no place for speeding, no matter how great a driver you think you are,” urged Hare.

In the meantime, despite the increase in fatalities this year, fatal crashes have decreased by 10 per cent over the corresponding period last year, the RSU reported.

In addition, the RSU report indicated a 38 per cent increase in children fatalities and 11 per cent increase in children pedestrian fatalies over the corresponding period last year.

Eighteen children were killed in traffic crashes while 21 elderly persons died in similar fashion since the start of the year.

Of the total fatalies reported so far, 63 of the victims were pedestrians and 26 were private motor vehicle passengers. Additionally, males accounted for 80 per cent of the road fatalities.

The report also noted that 20 per cent of fatal crashes occurred on Sundays while 17 per cent occurred on Wednesdays and that 36 per cent of the multiple fatalities since the start of the year occurred in Clarendon.

However, the transport ministry said it has moved to strengthen the ability of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Island Traffic Authority to better investigate and analyse traffic collisions across the island.

Transport Minister Mike Henry this week handed over five crush-deformation jigs to both agencies during a ceremony held at the ministry’s office in Kingston.

The equipment, which was purchased at a cost of US$600 each, will be used to determine the “depth of the damage, the speed at which a vehicle was travelling and the force direction”.

According to the ministry, the jigs will also allow for speedier road accident reports.

Already forty-two persons from the Police Force, the Island Traffic Authority and the transport ministry have been trained as crash investigators and analysts by the North Florida Institute of Police Technology and Management, the ministry reported at the launch.

Eight more people will also be trained and by 2014 are expected to be certified by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction.

Minister Henry noted that these developments were part of the ministry’s Road Improvement Programme, which seeks to ensure that the country’s road safety stakeholders are properly equipped to carry out their operations.

“Gone are the days when we were unable to investigate single-vehicle collision, sideswipes and vehicle hitting moving or fixed objects,” said Henry. “Gone are the days when we were unable to calculate the speed of the motor vehicle involved in the collision that displayed profound damage all across the island,” he added.

The minister also used the opportunity to appeal to motorist and road users to practise proper road etiquette.

“While the task is arduous, [we] are very much committed to making the traffic environment safer for all road users. The fact that over 180 persons have been killed in traffic crashes so far this year is a cause for concern, hence I beseech all road users to join forces with us as we seek to bring road fatalities below 300 this year and beyond in a sustainable manner,” the minister declared.