KINGSTON, Jamaica – The distribution of 10,000 helmets to motorcycle riders is expected to begin in June.

Making the announcement while addressing a recent meeting of the National Road Safety Council, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, said the procurement process has started.

Holness announced the programme during his contribution to the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives in March.

He said the logistics regarding the safety training course that will accompany the distribution exercise as well as administrative matters are being finalised.

“We are actually procuring; we have some helmets in hand already, so we will start this process of distribution…there are administrative issues – how will people get it, how will we prioritise. It will be paired to a training programme, all kinds of administrative issues, but the objective is to have them easily accessible and generally available,” he said.

He lamented that many motorcyclists do not take the necessary precaution or wear safety gear when they are operating their motorcycles.

The prime minister stated that pedal cyclists, motorcyclists, pillion riders and pedestrians are categorised as vulnerable road users and make up 64 per cent of road deaths.

Additionally, Holness said the incentivised training programme for taxi drivers is being developed.

“There are training programmes already in existence, but we are now going to incorporate some other elements to it, and we are going to incentivise, so if you participate in the training, there will be a cash grant available. We are definitely hoping that this will improve the service levels of our taxi drivers, but over and above that, how they use the road,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said the special committee that has been convened to review the newly implemented Road Traffic Act is being chaired by Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Floyd Green.

He encouraged Jamaicans to share their concerns regarding the new legislation to the committee via email at roadsafety@cwjamaica.com.

“If you have concerns about the Act, if you have feedback that you would want to share, if you have suggestions that you would want to make, please email them. That’s the email monitored by the special committee we have established as part of our review process and we want to hear from you,” Holness said.

Furthermore, he announced that since the start of the year, there has been a 14 per cent reduction in road fatalities and an eight per cent reduction in fatal crashes.

“It’s too early to celebrate… but we acknowledge that there is a reduction…we are 110 days already in the year, but we have seen over 120 deaths, so it’s a significant number of lives lost, but we have saved lives,” he said.

He noted, too, that behaviour change and enforcement measures are critical in further reductions in road fatalities.

The prime minister commended the council for its continued effort and dedication to making a difference on the nation’s roadways and in saving lives of Jamaicans who traverse the roadways.

“We share the same vision to create safer roads for every road user through training, through properly designing our roads, through properly building out the infrastructure and creating a change in behaviour, and I believe the Road Safety Council has been involved in all of this through its safe roads initiative,” he said.

-JIS