Signs to be erected at Crash Hot Spots

Signs and billboards marking major crash ‘hot spots’ are to be erected across the island, to warn motorists of these danger zones, so they can avoid getting into accidents.

This will be undertaken by Jamaica National General Insurance (JNGI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, through its Road Safety Unit.

The initiative forms part of JNGI's road safety campaign, which was launched during a road safety seminar hosted by the entity on May 17 at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

During the event, the Transport Minister, Hon. Dr. Omar Davies, and General Manager for JNGI, Chris Hind, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising the partnership.

Dr. Davies said the signing of the agreement represented “a very positive step in the direction of increased road user education”.

“The fact is that in many instances accidents, fatal and otherwise, can be prevented if our traveling public were better educated in terms of road safety…I am convinced that increasing the level of public awareness represents the best way to bring about the reduction in accidents,” he said.

He lauded the JN Group for its continued efforts to address the issue of road safety and for its assistance to the Ministry in this regard, over the past five years.

“I invite other private sector entities with a vested interest in the area to seek to establish similar collaborative efforts with my Ministry in addressing this most important problem,” he urged.

Mr. Hind said the JNGI is determined to make a difference, noting that the  MoU “will enshrine our joint efforts with the Ministry’s Road Safety Unit and Mona GeoInformatics” to encourage motorists to reduce their speed in order to reduce the carnage on the nation’s roads.

Some 20 crash ‘hot spots’ have been identified using data and analysis developed by the Mona GeoInformatics Institute with support from the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) Foundation. These locations along with areas with the greatest number of fatalities will be marked under the campaign.

Formerly N.E.M Insurance Company, JNGI is a subsidiary of JNBS.

By Alecia Smith-Edwards, JIS Reporter