Hanover fire chief pleads for better driving to save lives
Published:Monday | May 30, 2022 | 12:24 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE NUMBER of motor vehicle accidents occurring across Hanover, resulting in several deaths and serious injuries, are of great concern to residents of the parish. Consequently, Deputy Superintendent and Divisional Head in the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), Hanover Division, Raymond DeSouza, is calling on motorist to be more careful while using the roadways in the parish.
“It (motor vehicle accidents) is not looking good for the parish, as it is an alarming amount,” DeSouza told The Gleaner during an interview.
Checks made by The Gleaner have revealed that the Hanover Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade responded to 57 motor vehicle accidents between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, where 66 persons were injured, some seriously, and from which four deaths occurred.
From January 1, 2022, to date, the Hanover fire service has responded to 27 motor vehicle accidents in which 31 persons were injured, while two deaths have occurred.
“So from January 2021 to date, we are looking at 84 motor vehicle accidents, 97 persons injured and six deaths. I think most of those accidents could be avoided. We can seriously reduce the number, because based on the information that we have gathered, the problem is that the motorists are using the roadways inappropriately,” DeSouza stated.
He named the Hopewell to Sandy Bay, Sandy Bay to Lucea, Lucea to Green Island, and Green Island to Orange Bay thoroughfares as motor vehicle accident hotspots within the parish, but insisted that if the necessary caution is taken by motorists, most if not all the accidents occurring on them can be avoided.
Although not giving particular figures, the JFB divisional head pointed out that a considerable number of accidents recorded within the parish involve motorcycles, most of them with pillion riders aboard.
Several months ago, a recommendation came from the JFB Hanover Division for ‘rumble strips’ to be placed across the roadways in the named accident hotspots. Checks made by The Gleaner revealed that to date, the proposal has not received any consideration from the traffic committee in the parish.
Questioned about the continued absence of rumble strips, DeSouza conceded that even though that suggestion might help somewhat, the problem in Hanover is more indepth.
“The problem is the improper use of the roads. People need to obey the road code and road signals, leaving for their destinations on time, driving within the speed limits, while utilising the roadways in the appropriate manner, DeSouza emphasised.
He argued that if more responsibility is shown by motorists, it will result in less motor vehicle accidents, injuries and deaths, and would also take some pressure off the Hanover fire Service’s and the Hanover Health Department’s slender resources.
“Both the fire service and the health department’s limited resources are stretched when we have that level of motor vehicle crashes, and so I am pleading with them (motor vehicle drivers) to use the roadways in the appropriate manner,” DeSouza said.