Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, speaking at the Governor-General’s Achievement Awards ceremony in St. Thomas this afternoon, appealed to motorists to reduce their speed and exercise caution while travelling on the nation’s roads. The Governor-General who is Patron of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) said he is extremely concerned about the high number of motor vehicle accidents, particularly the many fatal crashes that occurred over the past week.
Sir Patrick is grieved by the horrific road accident on Wednesday which claimed the lives of four Holmwood Technical High School students and injured over thirty other passengers. The tragedy, a regrettably repeated experience for Holmwood, was yet another clear example of the devastating effect of careless and reckless use of our roadways. The Governor-General extends condolences to families that have lost loved ones in this and other motor vehicle accidents and hopes for the full recovery of those who sustained injuries.
The National Road Safety Council, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, has set a target of below 240 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents, after successfully achieving fewer than 300 road deaths in 2012. Since the start of the year 219 persons have lost their lives in road crashes. The Governor-General believes that it is only with the total commitment of each Jamaican to obey the rules of the road that we can minimize the carnage on our roads.
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