VICE-CHAIRMAN of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) Dr Lucien Jones is again appealing for motorists to slow down to avoid crashes like that in Westmoreland that killed two people Monday.

The Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) reported that speeding was the cause of the early morning crash which claimed the lives of the two people and left three hospitalised.

“This is a serious matter which all Jamaicans need to pay attention to, especially during the month of December,” Dr Jones said in an audio release on Monday.

He pointed out that as of December 6, 50 people have died in Westmoreland from motor vehicle crashes and stressed that “everyone in Westmoreland should know by now that this is a place where crashes occur and fatal crashes occur, and people need to be extra cautious”.

The PSTEB reported that about 1:15 am the 21-year-old male driver of a white Toyota Corolla Axio motor car was travelling on the Three Miles River main road, in the vicinity of Thrifty Gas Station, allegedly at a high speed.

“Upon approaching a right-hand curve, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle. The car then veered to the left and collided with a tree on the roadside. The impact caused severe damage to the vehicle and resulted in the deaths of the driver and the front-seat passenger, who were pronounced dead on the scene. The remaining three occupants were transported to the hospital for medical treatment,” the police report.

In addition to Westmoreland, Dr Jones said St Catherine with 57 road fatalities and St Ann with 36 road deaths up to December 6, as “dangerous parishes to drive in.”

“[For] the month of December what is going to make a difference in the data is whether or not we have several multiple fatalities, which tends to happen, and the only way we can prevent this is to slow down. Slow down in St Catherine, slow down in St Ann, slow down in Westmoreland, slow down in the whole Jamaica and we will reach home safe, not only for this month but for the new year,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the latest report of the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), director general of road traffic Colonel Daniel Pryce urged all road users to remain vigilant as they navigate the roadways.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. We must ensure we look out for each other on the roadway, understand the road code, practise defensive driving and put measures in place to ensure you get to your destinations safely. By promoting responsible road use and holding ourselves and others accountable, we can create safer roads for ourselves, our loved ones, and future generations,” Pryce said. The ITA reported that up to December 6, 343 road fatalities were recorded, resulting from 296 fatal crashes.

“Motorcyclists, pedestrians and private motor vehicle drivers were the top three road user categories with the highest number of road fatalities as at December 6, 2024, accounting for 33 per cent, 18 per cent and 18 per cent respectively,” the report read.