Dear Editor,

Road death in Jamaica is an existential threat, not only to animals but also to humans.

I passed by Font Hill, St Elizabeth, yesterday and took note of the spot where the young, fledgling, newly hired Spanish teacher at Savanna-la-Mar Primary School died in a road collision en route to school. The unfortunate loss of a young professional in a field haemorrhaging teachers is painful.

One of the most pernicious challenges on our roadways is to get drivers to become road–rules conscious and be realistic with their speed on roads that are bedecked with crater-like potholes and are narrow, unmaintained, and unbushed.

I fear there is going to be more carnage on the road if steps are not taken for correctives. I have begun to fear road travel. Places that I see drivers speed and overtake with passengers aboard is ridiculous. They overtake on blind corners, disobey the speed limit, swerve indiscriminately from potholes in a reckless manner, going fast to nowhere at the expense of lives. One is made to wonder if some of these drivers are under the influence.

Since the beginning of the year almost 250 lives have been lost. I wager a guess that a number of these drivers have not engaged their defensive driving skills because if they did, I am sure there would have been a reversal of this mind-boggling trend.

Maybe the examination depots should be more stringent in the issuance of licences and the police should do periodic road checks, especially at trouble spots, to curb improper overtaking and speeding; check on tyre quality; and test to see if drivers are driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, etc.

I think the relevant government departments should take urgent steps to mitigate road carnage. I propose a few ideas:

· increase fines exponentially

· suspend or revoke licences based on frequency of violations

· enforce mandatory seat belt usage for all passengers

· mandatory use of helmets

· no overloading of public passenger vehicles

· put up signs along the way so drivers can be reminded of road conditions

· heavy penalty for the use of hand-held devices while driving

The time is now for a public media blitz to educate and re-educate the public on responsible road use.

Burnett Robinson

blpprob@aol.com