WAKELAND, Trelawny — Two motorcyclists lost their lives after they were involved in a bizarre crash with a minibus in Trelawny on Sunday night.

They both collided with the minibus.

The deceased, both of Trelawny addresses, have been identified as 24-year-old Ramone Spence of Wakefield, and 17-year-old Sanjay Richards of Deeside.

Reports are that about 9:50 pm, Spence and Richards were driving their Zamco and Yeng Yeng motorcycles, respectively, when upon reaching a section of the Wakefield main road, both ‘bikes’ slammed into the Toyota Hiace minibus, which was heading towards Deeside.

Spence and Richards died on the spot.

The driver of the minibus and four passengers suffered minor injuries.

The death of the two brings to nine the number of road fatalities recorded in the parish since the start of the year.

Both men were reportedly not wearing their helmets.

Speaking with reporters at the High Level Symposium for Transport Ministers of the Caribbean Region held recently at the Iberostar Hotel in Rose Hall, St James, Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague said motorcycle dealers will be required to have a dealership licence from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries in order to conduct sales.

This is part of provisions under the new Road Traffic Act, which was passed in the House of Representatives last November.

He said the legislation will be accompanied by regulations to better protect motorcyclists and pillion riders on the roads.

“What we are moving to insist upon is that in the purchase price of the motorbike, a helmet and a vest will be attached. We are insisting on the registration number of the motorcycle being printed on the helmet and the vest as well,” Montague said.

“What we want to see are persons in their helmets, because when there is a motorcycle accident, that person has to go to the hospital… with $300,000 to $400,000 to treat that injury,” he added.

According to the statistics released by the Road Safety Unit yesterday morning, 90 people have died in 81 road crashes since the start of the year. This represents a 29 per cent increase over the 70 people who died in 59 crashes during the same period last year.

Motorcyclists accounted for 29 per cent of those killed so far this year, pedestrians 23 per cent and passengers 21 per cent.

Drivers and passengers of private motor vehicles each accounted for 17 per cent.

The unit also noted that more males than females were dying in road crashes, as 92 per cent of the victims were males.