WITH 19 fewer road fatalities when compared to the similar period last year, the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing is still determined in its quest to reduce auto-related deaths below the 300 mark.

At February 29, the unit recorded 34 casualties on the island’s roadways — a 36 per cent decline, which at last year this time stood at 53.

Kenute Hare, Road Safety Unit director, admits the figures seem encouraging and attributes the current decline in fatalities to increased police presence on the roadways.

“The police have been more vigilant along the major corridors and are targeting the island’s hot spots. They have intensified their efforts,” Hare told Auto.

Despite the decrease in road deaths, casualties involving passengers in private motor vehicles have jumped by a whopping 71 per cent. Last year, seven passengers lost their lives compared to the current total of 12.

Hare said that since January, there have been several accidents which resulted in multiple road deaths.

“There was an incident where relatives were transporting a family member to hospital and several persons died in that crash. There was another which took place in Westmoreland when three persons were killed coming from a party,” the director recalled.

“Excessive speeding and improper overtaking were at the centre of these unfortunate incidents,” Hare continued.

The director said in addition to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), his agency has been working with the Island Traffic Authority in the investigation and analysis of traffic crashes.

The thrust this year, however, would be on pedestrian safety.

So far, road accidents have claimed the lives of 11 pedestrians, compared to the 22 for the similar period last year.

“Last year, a total of 105 pedestrians were killed using the island’s roadways, and this represents 35 per cent of the overall fatalities,” said Hare. “The average age of the majority was 60 years and older.”

In undertaking the new initiative, Hare said his unit would be working closely with the National Works Agency.

“We [the Road Safety Unit] have to ensure that the environment, the education and the enforcement aspects are in tandem with the new direction,” he said.

“We have to try to get pedestrians to practise proper road etiquette,” he said.

In 2011, 304 persons were killed on the roads, 17 fewer than the number recorded in the previous year. In 2009, 347 accident victims lost their lives.