THE EDITOR, Sir:

We write in response to your editorial in the Sunday Gleaner of June 25th titled 'Clean up Island Traffic Authority'.

In addition to the information listed in your editorial, the Jamaica Injury Surveillance System January - December 2003 prepared by the Ministry of Health showed that 17.2 per cent of all injuries treated in hospitals throughout Jamaica, were as a result of motor vehicle accidents. The three highest rates were in Sav-la-Mar 34.4 per cent, Mandeville 22.7 per cent and Spanish Town at 20.4 per cent. This added burden to our health services is enormous and can be avoided.

Most drivers who are not trained by competent individuals do not understand concepts such as defensive driving, momentum, inertia, cornering forces, braking dynamics (perception, reaction, brake lag and stopping distances) and the many other concepts central to being a competent driver. They certainly are not aware of the psychological and physiological factors that affect their driving and how stress can lead to violent reactions such as road rage, a phenomenon that is now becoming more widespread in Jamaica.

Cleaning up the Island Traffic Authority is only part of the solution to this growing problem. The truth is competent commercial driver training is expensive and beyond the reach of many seeking to become professional drivers, hence the attractiveness of 'back door' deals. In addition, the Government needs to review its driver regulation system and to change the present system from one which only 'fines' drivers for infractions, to one that ensures that drivers who commit infractions are properly retrained before being allowed back on the road.

Recommendations

The Advanced Driver Training Centre (ADTC) is staffed by internationally certified driving instructors and is the only NCTVET accredited driver training institution in Jamaica with training primarily geared for commercial drivers. We are in agreement with most of your recommendations, many of which we have been voicing over the years. They include:

All driving instructors should be registered and certified (minimum standards to be established and certification must be periodic).

An approved defensive driving programme to be established for all new drivers (the driving test to be modified to include testing on defensive driving skills).

The Road Code to be updated to take into account changes in the road infrastructure such as dual carriage ways, toll roads etc.

Testing officers must also be registered and certified.

As in several states in the USA, drivers who have accumulated a certain number of 'points' can attend an approved defensive driving course and if successful, these points are expunged.

All drivers who are involved in serious or fatal accidents must attend an approved defensive driving course.

All drivers over 60 years old to be re-tested every 5 years.

Drivers of PPV vehicles should be required to undergo a special designed defensive driving course.

The Government through the HEART/NTA as they do with many other skills, should fund the training of commercial drivers throughout Jamaica.

The driving courses offered by ADTC include theoretical and practical sessions that adequately address appropriate driving issues and we stand ready to work with the relevant authorities in implementing the necessary changes that will return sanity to our roadways.

I am, etc.,

DESMON BROWN

desbro@cwjamaica.com

Advanced Driver Training Centre

Lakes Pen, St. Catherine