Pedestrians take spotlight
AT the end of December 2011, the death toll on the island’s road way stood at 303. A few weeks into the New Year, and there’s an uptick.
“The toll now stands at 304,” Kenute Hare, director of the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport told Auto. “Someone eventually succumbed to injuries received in an accident. It’s really unfortunate.”
According to Hare, death toll increases in the year when the accident occurs.
Even though the last year’s death toll figure is 15 fewer than the year before, Hare said this year his unit would be putting the focus on pedestrians.
“Last year, 105 pedestrians were killed on the road and this represents 35 per cent of the overall fatalities,” he said. “Of that amount, the majority of pedestrians killed average 60 years and older.”
With this in mind, Hare said the thrust this year would be on pedestrian safety. He said at the end of February an assessment would be done.
“”We have to thoroughly assess locations and the environment where these fatalities occur. We’ll be working in collaboration with the National Works Agency and the Jamaica Constabulary Force,” Hare told Auto.
