Be Extra Vigilant on the Roads – Azan

Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Richard Azan, is encouraging road users to be extra vigilant when using the nation’s roads, in order to reduce the number of road accidents and deaths.

“Much of our intellectual and economic resources are lost as a result of accidents and deaths on our roads. We can add to this, the considerable human suffering and the tremendous burden that a family has to deal with when the main breadwinner dies in a road crash and of course, the enormous impact and strain on our health care facilities,” he stated.

Mr. Azan was speaking at the official launch of the Jamaica Driver and Traffic Safety Expo, organised by the Grennell’s Driving School, on May 16, at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre in St. Andrew.

He noted that the National Road Safety Council overtime, has developed a broad array of programmes to address and improve safety on the nation’s roads and the National Road Safety Policy is a critical initiative in elevating road safety issues to a position of high priority on the national agenda.

“This assists us in working towards our vision of a safe driver and traffic environment and also guiding and co-ordinating the actions and creating the framework for undertaking correct programme interventions,” he stated.

Mr. Azan said the government has made “great” strides in improving road safety, noting that much of this progress is the result of partnerships with organisations like Grennell’s Driving School.

He congratulated the school for putting on the expo, noting that it will heighten the awareness of proper road use as well as the importance of traffic safety.

“It is important that we try to encourage our drivers about safety on the roads and if we could get more driving schools to get involved and to work along with the Ministry to develop road safety (measures), we would have less crashes on the roads,” he contended.  

Managing Director, Grennell’s Driving School, Alphonso Grennell said the expo will among other things, showcase the impact of careless driving on the family, community and nation.

The expo will be held on Saturday, June 16 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre under the theme: ‘Jamaica 50, Road Safety Fi All A Wi’.

By Chris Patterson, JIS Reporter