KENUTE Hare, director of the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, was presented with the Russell Arend Highway Safety Award at his Maxfield Avenue headquarters on Wednesday.

The award was presented by Tony Becker, associate director in the Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM) at the University of North Florida.

“The [award] highlights the work that we are doing over the past five years. And we appreciate being recognised for our road safety work,” Hare told Auto.

“Road safety is serious business,” he continued.

Becker said Hare was nominated by the IPTM staff who were conducting several training sessions in the island with several stakeholders, including the police.

“It goes back to Kenute and the agency’s hard work with regards to traffic safety. This is the first time that the award has been given to a person outside of the United States,” Becker said.

Gary McKenzie, deputy superintendent of police, who chaired the function, congratulated Hare and lauded him for his energetic approach to his job.

“Jamaica will benefit from Mr Hare’s enthusiasm,” he said.

The RSU, under Hare’s directorship, has embarked on several road-safety programmes islandwide. The most prominent of them is the Below 300 campaign, which is geared at lowering the island’s road toll to fewer than 300.

This was achieved last year when 256 persons lost their lives on the roadways.

American Russell Arend is the founder of the Institute of Police Technology and Management at the University of North Florida. He is best known for his pioneering efforts to develop innovative programmes to solve highway safety problems.

— Brian Bonitto