MIKE Henry, former transport and works minister, says a more hands-on approach is needed by the road traffic authorities if deaths are to be kept below the 300 mark.

Yesterday, fatalities stood at 316.

Henry suggested a reduction in government involvement through the PM Portia Simpson Miller-chaired National Road Safety Council (NRSC) and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, through its Road Safety Unit (RSU), is the reason the country is in this position.

“While in government, we, the Jamaica Labour Party, worked hard to have brought fatalities down to ‘below 300’ in 2010, due in no small part to the proactive stance by former Prime Minister (Bruce) Golding, who chaired the National Road Safety Council, supported by a vibrant Ministry of Transport from 2008 to 2011,” said Henry in a release.

He said he was further prompted to speak as Member of Parliament for Central Clarendon following Monday’s accident in the constituency, in which a teacher at the Garvey Maceo High School was killed. Five other persons, including the driver of the vehicle, had to be rushed to hospital.

“I ache with the likes of Dr Lucien Jones and the members of the NRSC, who have worked so tirelessly to achieve the goals previously set and attained, only to see them shattered by wanton carelessness and neglect,” he said.

He said that the cost to the country’s health services and productive sector is monumental and cannot be allowed to continue. He also urged all motorists to drive with excessive care, and called on the government to ramp up public education.

Kenute Hare, RSU director, says Jamaica’s ranking on the global accident barometer is critical as it remains in the low-medium level at 11/100,000 citizens compared to an average 10/100,000 persons. However, he believes cultural changes are primarily responsible for Jamaica’s fatalities and not a lack of effort on the part of the government.

Hare identifies behavioural patterns such as a reluctance to wear helmets and seat belts and, basically, speeding, and reckons this disregard for safety precautions is due to the cultural patterns of the last two decades.

“Public education alone can’t do it. It is difficult to change people’s mindset. But we have developed an approach which includes public education and community consultations, and we intend to intensify that. We will have to meet the vulnerable road users face to face, because we want to will the hearts and minds of all road users,” he added.

Launched in 2008, the ‘Below 300’ was aimed at keeping road fatality figures fewer than that number. This was only achieved in 2012 when deaths fell to 260. Last year, the NRSC adjusted the target to the ambitious mark of 240.