DESPITE Jamaica reporting a decline in overall road fatalities, motorcycle-related deaths — particularly among young men — remain persistently high.

Data from the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) shows a 21 per cent decrease in motorcycle-related fatalities, falling from 56 deaths in the first five months of 2024 to 46 deaths during the same period in 2025.

However, the numbers paint a more complex picture. Although in some parishes like St Catherine its northern region saw fatalities drop to zero, Westmoreland, Trelawny, and St James all experienced increases — making western Jamaica the continued epicentre of the motorcycle incidents.

Experts say the statistics reflect more than road conditions — they reflect a culture.

Motorcycles are often seen as symbols of independence, power, and status, particularly among young Jamaican men aged 20 to 29 and who continue to make up the majority of crash victims. In 2024, 32 men in this age group died in motorcycle crashes, compared to 24 in 2025. The same period saw only two and five female fatalities, respectively, in this age group.

This discrepancy reflects a troubling reality: Young men appear to be disproportionately drawn to high-speed riding, stunts, and riding without helmets — behaviours often glorified on social media and in peer groups.

“If you break down the statistics you’ll see that the majority of motorcyclists who die on our roads are under 25 and unemployed,” said Marlon Fletcher, lead for community engagement for the National Helmet Wearing Coalition.

“That’s why the coalition is focused on reaching this group through targeted education and grass roots outreach. We’re not just promoting helmet use, we are trying to reshape values and shift the culture around road safety.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that helmets reduce the risk of death by 42 per cent, and serious head injury by 69 per cent. However, research conducted by Market Research Services Limited in Jamaica shows that 40 per cent of motorcycle drivers do not wear helmets while riding, and 31 per cent of pillion passengers never wear helmets.

Even when helmets are worn, they’re often non-certified cheap imports or novelty helmets that don’t meet international safety standards. This creates a false sense of security and does little to protect riders in a crash.

Changing the culture around helmets is a key focus of the National Helmet Wearing Coalition, which launched in 2023 and is an initiative being executed by the JN Foundation. The coalition has prioritised helmet safety education, particularly in high-risk communities and schools, to reach young riders before dangerous habits set in.

As part of its ongoing efforts it will be hosting the Heads Up Regional Think Tank on June 19 to 20. The event is expected to bring together speakers and participants from across Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss helmet safety, policy challenges, and best practices for managing this issue. The think tank aims to foster regional collaboration and deepen understanding of what it takes to build a culture of safety in diverse contexts; it will take on a hybrid format, thereby allowing anyone to join online.

Sydoney Preddie, project manager, road safety and road user education at the JN Foundation, emphasised the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in addressing the problem.

“The coalition is working with both global and internal partners to push the message of helmet safety and to share ideas of what works. The goal is not just local impact, but a global one. We’re learning from each other and standing together to save lives,” she said.

Preddie said, too, that the long-term goal is about shifting values and norms.

“We must engender a culture of safety among our young people. That means not only wearing helmets, but choosing certified ones, understanding the risks, and being part of a larger community that values life over speed,” she said.

As the country works toward its goals under the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, the coalition is calling for stronger legislation, more affordable access to certified helmets, and a ramp-up of national education campaigns.

Dr Lucien Jones, vice-chairman of the National Road Safety Council and chairman of the Coalition, stressed the need for collective action.

“In the midst of the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week one of the things that the UN encourages, along with the World Health Organization, is how to galvanise countries and better mobilise people for road safety,” he said

“The traditional way of doing things has been for people to look to the Government to enact laws and provide the infrastructure that would help reduce crashes on our roads,” he added.

He noted, however, that the approach is evolving.

“Now they are looking also at involving NGOs more and more,” Dr Jones explained. “I believe that we at the National Road Safety Council, the National Helmet Wearing Coalition, and the Government have a responsibility to provide public education. If we can get as many NGOs as possible formed in the country — NGOs that are closer to the people we are trying to reach; where they live, work, and spend time for leisure — we will be much more effective in changing behaviours and saving lives.”

The coalition said the drop in fatalities is encouraging but the road to true safety remains long. Helmets remain one of the simplest and most effective tools to save lives, yet they are still underused, undervalued, and misunderstood, it added.

As the coalition continues its advocacy and programming, the hope is not just to reduce numbers, but to change mindsets.