KINGSTON, Jamaica — An alarming 14 deaths, which included four children on the nation’s roads during the week ending Friday, May 17, forced the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) to convene a meeting in an effort to come up with measures to stem the carnage.

Chairman of the NRSC, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz were among those who attended the meeting.

Among the measures being considered is a reduction in the legally allowed alcohol level for drivers, the retraining for drivers of public passenger vehicles and increased use of breathalyser tests.

Until those measures take effect, relatives of the latest victims are left to mourn.

The children killed during the course of the last week ranged in age from 12 – 15, two of whom attended Titchfield High School in Portland. Those killed also included five pedestrians, three drivers of private motor cars, two passengers of commercial motor vehicles and two passengers of public passenger vehicles.

READ: Two dead, several injured in Portland accident

This is according to the latest statistics released last Friday by the Road Safety Unit (RSU), which is located inside the Island Traffic Authority.

Up to May 17, a total of 161 people had been killed in 138 fatal crashes. The RSU said fatalities have increased by one per cent, while fatal crashes are down by five per cent when compared to the corresponding period in 2023. As is normally the case, males account for the majority of the fatalities with 86 per cent, compared to 14 per cent for females.

Meanwhile, the western parishes of Trelawny, Westmoreland, St James and Hanover account for 28 per cent of all fatal crashes this year. Of note is that Westmoreland records the most deaths among motorcyclists which are among the most vulnerable road users.

The RSU said Portland, St Mary and St Ann account for 19 per cent and St Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon account for 20 per cent of the deaths on the roads this year.