JAA goes to schools - 50 secondary institutions to host junior clubs

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

Greater attention will be paid to road safety awareness in schools, with the introduction of the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) Junior Club School Programme in the next academic year. The initiative was launched officially at the Courtleigh Hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by Earl Jarrett, chairman of the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) and general manager of the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), and Minister of Education Reverend Ronald Thwaites, to cement support for the initiative.

The MOU sealed an agreement to spearhead the effort to heighten road safety awareness among children. Fifty high schools islandwide which are located close to identified crash hot spots have been selected as the initial participants.

Duane Ellis, general manager of the JAA, said "we hope to involve students in promotion and advocacy initiatives for road safety and proper road use, with the hope that they will also adapt these principles in their individual use of the roads, whether as pedestrians or motorists".

"Through the JAA Junior Club, we hope to reduce the number and frequency of road crashes and fatalities through improved road user behaviour, as well as to increase the awareness of, and interest in, mechanical-related careers and raise the level of enthusiasm and participation in the motor sport industry locally," Ellis added.

It was also announced that the school-based clubs will be officially introduced to the participating schools in September. Members will be exposed to the practical and technical aspects of road safety through mentorship from professionals. Additionally, there will be presentations by road safety agencies, and students will be encouraged to carry out their own research.

The project will be supported by activities under the 'Make it Click' seat belt campaign, which will sensitise motorists to the restraint's importance.

Roger Graham, project manager of the JAA Junior Club, emphasised that students will remain active in the clubs throughout the school year, to ensure that road safety awareness remains high on their agenda. He said participating students will choose one of the five pillars of road safety - road safety management; safer roads and mobility; safer vehicles; safer road users and post-crash response - to research throughout the year.

A national symposium will give the schools a platform to showcase their efforts.

Alarming Statistics

Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, director of the Mona GeoInformatics Institute, at University of the West Indies, Mona, provided alarming statistics on crash hot spots, which continue to be sites of numerous crash events.

Similarly, Jarrett utilised statistics to illustrate the importance of fostering road safety awareness in schools. This is as young people account for a large number of victims in road crashes worldwide.

"According to the Global Status Report of the World Health Organisation (WHO), road crashes are the leading cause of death worldwide among young people aged 10 to 24 years," Jarrett said.

In Jamaica, he said, "the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Transport and Works reported that since this year 12 children have died on our nation's roads up to June 6".

"If Jamaica is to attain its new goal of keeping its annual road deaths below 240, then we must create greater awareness about the need for road safety, particularly among our young people," Jarrett said.

CAPTION - Earl Jarrett (front left), chairman of the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) and general manager of the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), and Rev the Hon Ronald Thwaites (front right), minister of education, sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) as part of the official launch of the JAA Junior Clubs in School, at the Courtleigh Hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday. Witnessing the signing are heads of the partnering organisations (back, from left) Duane Ellis, general manager of the JAA; Saffrey Brown, general manager of the JNBS Foundation; and Chris Hind, general manager of the JN General Insurance Company Limited. - Contributed