The Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing has officially launched its island-wide road safety tour in an effort to sensitize persons about their role in being safe and responsible road users. The tour is also being organized to curb the carnage on the roads, which has so far seen 223 road fatalities since the start of the year, a 15% increase when compared to the same period in 2012.

Speaking at the launch of the Tour at the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr. Hon. Morais Guy, said that the Ministry is deeply saddened at the death of the 4 Holmwood Technical High School Students in the Manchester crash, and assured that the Ministry and its Agencies will be working assiduously to ensure that all road users are sensitized about the rules of the road, in tandem with heightened enforcement from the Police to guard against such future occurrence.

The Tour, which is being organized by the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, with support from the National Road Safety Council, Jamaica Urban Transit Company, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Island Traffic Authority, will see the message of “Walk, Ride and Drive for Life” being taken to several Town Centres, with the first stop being Spanish Town, Old Harbour and May Pen. The Second leg will be in Port Maria, Ocho Rios and St. Ann’s Bay on Saturday October 26.

Education Minister, Rev. Ronald Thwaites, who also spoke at the launch, welcomed such an initiative and challenged motorists who transport the country’s over 700,000 school children to ensure that they do so in a safe, responsible and lawful manner in order to protect lives and the nation’s future.

The Road Safety Tour is supported by members of the media and entertainment fraternities, including Tanya Stephens, Voicemail and Roy Rayon, who will all travel with the Road Safety Team to take the message of “Walk Ride and Drive for Life” to road users.