IGL Limited’s 5th annual road safety breakfast ceremony was held at their Spanish Town Road headquarters on Wednesday at which driver Vernon Clarke was the top awardee.

“It was good to get this award as I’ve been working towards it,” said Clarke.

The nine-year veteran of the company says he spends 98 per cent of his time on the road, working out of IGL’s Montego Bay depot. He indicated his secret is no secret at all; to him it’s the challenge of paying attention to the other road users. According to Dwight Campbell, health safety and environment manager — IGL Jamaica, Clarke won the award based on his several parameters, including being collision- and injury-free as, well as participating in driver training programmes. For his efforts, Clarke received a cash award, a weekend for two, and a 32-inch smart TV presented to him by Shahine Robinson, minister of labour and social security.

Clarke and IGL Jamaica Limited were praised by Robinson. She lauded the company’s proactive actions in equipping its drivers with the requisite skills and its embracing of the issue of safety on Jamaican road ways.

“IGL continues to serve more than 2,000 customers islandwide, covering 4.7 million kilometres annually, with a staff and contractor compliment of over 350 workers, consistently delivering excellent customer service with a track record of zero loss time in 2016, no medical cases, and one first aid case,” Wayne Kirkpatrick, general manager — IGL Limited Jamaica, explained to Jamaica Observer’s Auto magazine.

Having to cover so much mileage annually, five years ago the company embarked on a way to make road safety a priority — its annual award ceremony. Campbell said the programme was a success from the start, expanding beyond just the drivers and into the workplace as a set piece of their corporate culture.