THE USUAL warning to motorists to be careful as they travel on the roadways takes on added poignancy at this time of year when the incidence of traffic accidents and road fatalities tends to rise.
Elsewhere in this edition, we have reported on an accident involving four vehicles along the Toll Road leading to Clarendon.
Initial reports suggest that the driver of a car heading towards Kingston lost control of his vehicle which subsequently crashed into a parked police service vehicle which was itself pushed into the private vehicle of another policeman.
This unfortunate accident, which has led to the death of a policeman, serves to underscore the the importance of the campaign of the National Road Safety Council to see that motorists comply with the relevant laws.
Accidents may result from the poor driving habits, negligence of other motorists or faulty mechanisms in vehicles. Each driver, however, owes it to himself and ultimately to other road users to ensure that his/her vehicle is in a roadworthy condition and that they are complying with the law.
Yesterday's accident is still being investigated and, as such, the specific cause is still to be determined. However, it may still serve as a point of departure for a renewal of the warnings for drivers to be careful over the festive holiday season. Already, a 75 per cent rise in the accident rate for December has been recorded. This contrasts with a steady decline in numbers over the past few years. Data from the police Traffic Department and the National Road Safety Council show more than 290 road accident deaths since the start of this year lower than in previous years, but still much too high.
We note that last week, the National Road Safety Council outlined its plans to push for legislation dealing with jaywalking. This is an important aspect of the public education programme which must be intensified.
Too often, pedestrians, and school children, in particular, tend to step out into roadways as if they have a right to do so at any time, irrespective of whether they are standing by a pedestrian crossing or not. Indeed, the council reports that as many as 75 per cent of road accident fatalities may be attributed to irresponsible behaviour on the part of pedestrians.
Tougher legislation by itself will not stop accidents but it can help to focus the minds of road users on being more careful. There is undoubtedly a daredevil tempting of fate among some drivers and pedestrians and hopefully, the speedy implementation of this legislation, its enforcement and the public's compliance will further reduce our road fatalities.
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