Indiscipline — root cause of the tendency by far too many Jamaicans to drive recklessly — obviously triggered the horrific crash very early Sunday morning at Salt Marsh in Trelawny leaving five people dead and seven others injured.

Our reporter cites a police report as saying that, about 2:30 am, the ill-fated vehicle veered across the road and flipped for about 50 metres, downing palm trees until it crashed into a concrete utility pole.

The impact is said to have sent some of the occupants “flying” from the vehicle.

On visiting the scene our reporter discovered “dislodged parts from the vehicle — a bumper, a door, a tyre, mirrors, splintered glass — as well as fuel, blood, uprooted palm trees, sneakers, peak caps, cellphone cases, and other debris strewn on the ground…”

That amounts to telltale signs of a vehicle going much too fast before the driver lost control completely.

The travellers were apparently headed from Spanish Town and Portmore in St Catherine to a party in Hanover. By our calculation that’s a drive of about 190 kilometres.

Superintendent Ainsley McHarty of the Trelawny police made the obvious point to the Gleaner newspaper that under the law “all parties are to end by 2:00 am [in the absence of an approved extension], and that crash happened at 2:30 am… a party at that time would be illegal unless an extension was granted…”

We haven’t heard if, in fact, there was the relevant request and approval for an extension.

What we believe we can safely say is that the entire episode reeked of recklessness, irresponsibility, and a tragic inclination by far too many people to show little or no regard for life and well-being.

Regarding speeding and reckless driving, it could well be that the Road Traffic Act, which was amended in 2023, may have to be strengthened still further.

But it seems to us that the far greater urgency has to be efficient and swift action to bring to book those who breach traffic rules.

For years we have heard of plans to expand surveillance, including cameras; and, crucially, the means to monitor and act on the evidence of wrongdoing — be it traffic breaches or criminal activity — on our roads, in towns and villages.

For, as we are often reminded, police can’t be on every street corner.

We believe the society should now be at a stage at which those breaching traffic rules will swiftly be made aware that they have been found out and will pay the price.

The State and its agents can’t keep saying that there is zero tolerance for such breaches when in fact that’s not so.

Perhaps nothing so underlines the inadequacy of respect for the law than the persistent prevalence of young men driving around on motorcycles without safety helmets.

To be clear, public education on road safety is vital and must not be neglected in any way, shape, or form.

But at bottom line there must be practised zero tolerance for those who break the law. Ultimately, that’s the only way tragedies such as that in Salt Marsh last Sunday morning will be minimised, if not prevented.