Road Safety Awareness Month was launched in Osborne Store, Clarendon on Wednesday, June 9 under the auspicies of the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA).

Minister of Transport and Works Mike Henry gave the keynote address at the launch and used the opportunity to laud the JGRA for its part in assisting in road safety initiatives. “The JGRA has been quite vocal on the subject of road safety in Jamaica over the years, and this was we need to maintain and in fact, intensify. Any avenue of exposure that can assist the process of educating the population about the great need for utmost care in using the roadways is of importance to the overall national road safety effort,” the Minister noted.

Continuing the Minister said,” With over $2B spent annually in attendant medical costs for healthcare relative to traffic crashes, the nation at large suffers from the tragedies which have unnecessarily beset our roadways. Together we should seek to grasp the importance of helping to contain this monster within our midst.”

In speaking to initiatives to combat the scourge of road crashes, the Minister made mention of the role of the following:

1.     The Road Safety Unit (MTW)

2.     The JUTC

3.     Transport Authorit

4.     The National Transformation Programme operating out of OPM

In the re-launch of the Children Against Reckless Driving (CARD) Programme. This is an initiative which is designed to use young children as catalysts to instill better road safety habits among the general population

Minister Henry also highlighted work being done concerning the Vehicle Weight Enforcement Programme. This is a programme designed to help protect the main road network from serious damage from over-weight vehicles.