Jamaica has recorded 301 road fatalities since the start of the year, pushing the country past a grim milestone as road crashes continue to claim lives at an alarming rate.
The latest victims are 31-year-old Rushane Smith of Smoothland District and 17-year-old Omarion Roye of Seven Corners, both from St. Elizabeth. The two men died following a head-on collision between their motorcycles along the Mount Plymouth main road.
Reports indicate that neither rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
Reacting to the tragedy, Dr. Lucien Jones, Vice Chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), expressed deep concern about the country’s rising fatality rate. He warned that, at the current pace, Jamaica could surpass last year’s total of 365 road deaths — and possibly exceed 400, which he described as “a national disaster.”
