Crashes down in hot spots, increase elsewhere

Tash-Shanna Tugman, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Senior Superintendent of Police and head of the Traffic Division, Radcliffe Lewis, has told Automotives that road fatalities have decreased in the areas where crash hot-spot signs are located, but have increased in areas where there are no signs. Lewis said much is being done by the traffic police to stem the problem of frequent road deaths, but there are challenges.

"When a person is ticketed for speeding for five or more times, those persons should be taken to court to have their licence suspended," Lewis proposed. He believes this will reduce the danger posed by those motorists, who are a threat to other road users.

So far, 22 signs and 13 billboards have marked crash hot spots.

Paula Fletcher, executive director of the National Road Safety Council, told Automotives that "these signs are an awareness initiative to inform road users of frequent crash spots, to decrease the likelihood of a crash".

Speeding is still the leading cause of road fatalities in Jamaica. Fletcher said that from January 1 to June 17, 2013, some 130 people have been killed in motor-vehicle crashes in Jamaica. This is 10 more than over the same period last year.

Lewis noted that enforcing the speed limit is difficult.

"Oncoming motorists who are speeding are warned by fellow motorists when the police are on the road. This comes as a great concern to us, as the people who are doing this know better," Lewis said.

Still, police from the Traffic Division are placed on the roads at particular times of the day to regulate the flow of traffic and also catch the speeding motorists.