Bike safety workshop for Negril tomorrow

In response to the alarming number of motorcycle accidents being recorded in Westmoreland, resulting in multiple fatalities, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) will be collaborating with Back to Basics (B2B) to host the second Westmoreland staging of the B2B Motorcycle Safety Workshop at the Negril Hills Golf Club tomorrow.

Back to Basics is a pioneering motorcycle safety outreach effort designed to tackle the problem of extraordinarily high fatalities among motorcycle road users.

"The overwhelmingly high national road fatality figures being recorded this year is a continued cause for alarm," said Sheryl McGaw-Douse, group public relations manager, SRI.

SENSITISING ROAD USERS

"The parish of Westmoreland has seen its fair share, particularly from motorcycle accidents, and it is believed that improper use of the roadways is the major factor. As a corporate entity, with our stakeholders utilising these roadways, with some of our team members also relying on motorcycles as their means of transport, we are playing our part in sensitising road users."

According to Zawdie Business Ventures proprietor and workshop facilitator Tarik Kiddoe, the event is quite significant.

He recalled his encounter with a motorcyclist during the first leg of the safety efforts.

"We were at the hospital in Savanna-la-Mar doing promotions back in May. We had a conversation with one young man who couldn't read, but had an interest in the workshop. He was afraid that his bike would be confiscated by the authorities, so he ended up not coming. I found out two weeks later that he died in a motorcycle accident," Kiddoe said.

The motorcycle safety advocate believe that the workshop can inevitably help to reduce the rampant road deaths plaguing the west.

Kiddoe and Sandals are not alone in their push to curb road fatalities and reckless motorcycling in the parish. A number of entities have joined in to lend support to the well-needed workshop.

"Along with Sandals, we have Zawdie Business Ventures, Insurance Association of Jamaica, Island Traffic Authority, Shango Bikers, Tru-Juice, Boom Energy Drink, Book TV and Learn to Ride on board as sponsors for this event. They help to make this possible," he said.