THE Police Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) says a culture shift is needed to curb indiscipline by motorcyclists on the nation’s roadways.

According to head of the Highway and Patrol Division at the PSTEB, Superintendent Lanford Salmon, motorcyclists continue to put their lives at risk, creating major challenges for other road users.

He was speaking at the recent Jamaica Gasolene Retailers’ Association (JGRA) Road Safety Month launch, at FESCO Gas station in Lydford, St Ann.

“The motorcyclists, especially in Westmoreland, have a culture that the white line belongs to them. So, they ride on the white line and that’s how you see they collide and people die. As a people, we will have to change that culture. We will have to see how we can educate these motorcyclists,” Salmon said.

He reported that motorcyclists have accounted for more than 30 per cent of the road fatalities along the nation’s thoroughfares since the start of the year, which is a cause for concern.

Since the start of the year, 194 persons have been killed in motor-vehicle crashes, 61 of whom are motorcyclists.

“What we recognise is that motorcyclists are the main problem. It is a challenge to police motorcyclists. They are very indisciplined and in some instances they are very rude… when they undertake you and you speak to them,” Superintendent Salmon said.

He added that the vast majority of the motorcyclists operating in Jamaica are not registered or insured, a practice that needs to be stemmed.