KINGSTON, Jamaica — Two hundred and thirty-six road users have been killed in fatal crashes since the start of the year, several of them occurring during the curfew hours imposed under the Disaster Risk Management Act.

According to the Road Safety Unit, the majority of these fatalities have been motorcyclists, accounting for 32 per cent of the total. 

In addition to reiterating the call for motorcyclists and pillion passengers to adhere to the rules of the road and wear approved helmets to prevent injury and/or death, director of the Road Safety Unit, Kenute Hare is urging road users to obey the curfew times being enforced by Government and “tan a yuh yard”. 

“As more Jamaicans work from home and on flexi work schedules amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, persons are still not obeying the rules of the road,” Hare wrote in his most recent report, dated today, July 29.

The unit revealed that 14 of the 236 road traffic deaths occurred during curfew hours in April, May, June and July. 

A breakdown of the Road Safety Unit figures reveal that of the 236 fatalities, 49 were pedestrians, 24 were pedal cyclists, 76 were motorcyclists, nine were pillion, three were passengers of public transport, 26 were private motor vehicle passengers, seven were passengers of commercial motor vehicles, six were drivers of public passenger vehicles, 32 were drivers of private motor vehicles, and the remaining four were drivers of commercial vehicles.

In June, 27 people died from 24 crashes.

The Road Safety Unit falls under the Policy, Planning and Research Directorate of the Ministry of Transport and Mining.