KINGSTON, Jamaica – Based on statistics OBSERVER ONLINE received today from the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), there is a noticeably increase in the number of road fatalities for the period January 1- to July 22, 2014 when compared with the same period last year.

The NRSC reports that there were 164 fatal crashes resulting in 175 fatalities for the period under review. This is an increase of 20 fatal crashes and 19 fatalities when compared with the figures for 2013.

Of the 175 fatalities recorded for January 1 – July 22, there were 62 pedestrian fatalities with 34 recorded for motor cyclists.

Children fatalities for the period stood at five which is two less when compared with the same period last year.

The breakdown of fatalities for the periods January to July 2014 compared to 2013 is as follow:

Sixty-two pedestrians died in 2014 compared to 52 in 2013; for motorcyclists 34 died in 2014 oppose to 24 in 2013 with 14 pedal cyclists dying in 2014 compared to 11 in 2013. A total of 25 drivers died in 2014 compared to 24 in 2013 while a total of 34 passengers died in 2014, compared to 45 in 2013.

The breakdown of fatalities for the children for the periods January to July 2014 and 2013 is as follow:

Five pedestrians died in 2014 compared to seven in 2013. Meanwhile for passengers two died in 2014 and five in 2013. A total of two cyclists died in 2014 while one in 2013.