Even though Jamaica has been experiencing a welcomed decrease in the number of murders being committed in our island home, it is as if there is an inexplicable fixation with the Grim Reaper.

There was an appreciable reduction in road fatalities at the end of the first half of 2025, but a recent surge has put the nation on a deadly trajectory, with the likelihood that the country will exceed the 400-fatality mark. Interestingly, there were 365 fatalities last year. In the meantime, the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) has revealed that between January 1 and July 23 this year, a total of 219 people have died in 190 fatal crashes.

It is not surprising that of that number 186 males died as against 33 females. The sad truth is that the Jamaican male of the specie remains the most endangered among us, as it is with murders and police shootings. And what is even more alarming is that most of these victims are young men. This frightening scenario speaks to the fact that there is a national crisis as far as our males are concerned.

These days, every time I hear or read comments emanating from Dr Lucien Jones, the vice-chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), my initial reaction is, “Here we go again!” Yet another exercise of verbiage in futility. Not that the goodly gentleman, who is well intentioned, is to be blamed for this frightening scenario, but one gets the distinct impression that not enough is being done to deal with what is fast becoming a national pandemic.

What is further exacerbating is that the chairman of the NRSC is none other than the prime minister, Andrew Michael Holness! What this means is that this vexing issue should be treated as a national emergency, in the same way that the Government has tackled the matter of crime, especially homicides. But one gets the impression that this may not necessarily be a politically beneficial project at this time to pursue. However, all well-thinking and concerned Jamaicans should call on the prime minister to pay more attention to this pressing issue which so far has only been given lip service.

For starters, several of these road fatalities involve motorcyclists, most of whom do not wear helmets (which is mandatory) or any other form of protective gear. Some time ago, the prime minister reportedly indicated that, as a policy initiative, helmets would be distributed to motorcyclists as a precautionary measure. What became of that project, and why is it that the police have not vigorously enforced the law with respect to the wearing of helmets?

In the meantime, it would appear that many of our motorists, especially young drivers, have been “auditioning” for a role in the popular movie series The Fast and the Furious. As has been stated repeatedly by the police and the NRSC, speeding remains the leading cause of road crashes. Of course, one of the underlying factors in speeding is that many drivers operate their vehicles under the influence of excessive alcohol intake or ganja smoking. To what extent is the breathalyser test being administered or the detecting of ganja smoking? We see speed cops on the roads, but we are convinced that in many instances this is more of a money-making exercise based on the so-called “write or lef’” practice.

Then there remains the troubling issue of people buying licences. This corrupt practice continues unabated, with no meaningful interventions to date by the State. Many people who are purchasing a vehicle for the first time are said to do so even before they go through the legal and required process of getting a driver’s licence. This situation becomes even more horrifying when one considers that many operators of motor vehicles on our roads cannot read or write, which means they would not have studied the Road Code, which is required reading as part of the preparation to operate a vehicle on the road.

Another contributing factor to the mayhem on our roads is the fact that there are so many people “hustling” with vehicles to transport passengers, and some of them are not doing so legitimately. In many instances, the operators of these vehicles have to make a certain amount of money daily in order to have enough to pay their loan for the purchase of said vehicle or give to the owner of the vehicle. This creates a “run jostle” situation, which explains why there is so much indecent haste on our roads, especially during peak hours.

In all of this, successive governments have failed to come up with the necessary legislation and policies that can effectively help to decrease the amount of carnage on our roads. Luckily for the prime minister, he goes everywhere fully escorted and protected. But, sir, for the rest of us, it is a nightmare out there! Indeed, if a law-abiding motorist plays by the rules, he or she is likely to be verbally abused or run off the road by irascible, impatient drivers who seem to think they are on a racetrack.

The truth is many Jamaican drivers have a get-out-of-my-way mentality. Also, with the latest model vehicles built to go fast, drivers seem to become possessed by the “speed demon” when they get behind the wheel. Needless to say, they are not equipped with the skills of a Hollywood stuntman or trained as a motor racing driver to control a vehicle travelling at high speeds.

Unfortunately, too, there are many drivers who are overwhelmed by the fact that they now own a “crissas” (including scammers and other “hurry-come-up” individuals) and get carried away once they get behind the wheel. These people are usually referred to in Jamaican parlance as “never see come see” (go figure).

Of course, the perennial horrible and unsafe state of so many of our roads is yet another contributing factor to this ongoing horror story.

When all is said and done, a great deal needs to be undertaken to put a dent (no pun intended) in the tide of carnage on our roads. This is a national crisis and the buck stops at Jamaica House.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaican media for the past 49 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.

The number of road fatalities has been climbing at a significant pace in recent times. 

Dr Lucien Jones.

Andrew Holness (Photo: Naphtali Junior)