KINGSTON, Jamaica — The number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes since the start of the year rose to 199 as of Friday, June 28, after five additional deaths were recorded over the previous seven days.

This is according to the Island Traffic Authority’s Road Safety Unit (RSU), in its latest weekly bulletin released on Friday.

The RSU said the fatalities resulted from 172 fatal crashes.

Of note is that fatalities have decreased by seven per cent while fatal crashes are down 12 per cent when compared to the similar period in 2023.

The latest fatalities recorded between June 22 and June 28 includes three drivers of private motor cars, a private motor car passenger and a pedestrian.

According to the RSU, pedestrians accounted for 19 per cent of the road users killed as of June 28; motorcyclists accounted for 32 per cent; private motor vehicle drivers accounted for 17 per cent; and private motor vehicle passengers accounted for 11 per cent.

Combined, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, pedalcyclists, motorcyclists and pillion riders) accounted for 61 per cent of the road users killed this year.

Overall, males and females accounted for 86 per cent and 14 per cent respectively of the road fatalities so far this year.

Meanwhile, the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland which comprise Police Area 1 were responsible for a combined 34 per cent of the road deaths; Area 2 which is Portland, St Mary and St Ann accounted for 15 per cent; while Area 3 comprising St Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon together accounted for 20 per cent.

Twenty-three per cent of the road deaths were recorded in St Andrew North, St Catherine North, St Catherine South and St Thomas which make up Police Area 5, the RSU said.

Area 4 (Kingston Central, Kingston Eastern, Kingston Western, St Andrew Central and St Andrew South) accounted for the remaining eight per cent.