Four killed in motor vehicle crashes on Christmas Day

By Kimone Witter    

 

Four people are reported to have died in separate motor vehicle crashes in Westmoreland, Kingston and St. Ann on Christmas Day.

 

Two of the victims have been identified as 22-year-old Andre Clarke, otherwise called 'Bugee Man', a bike taxi operator of Whitehall, Westmoreland, and 24-year-old Tevon Allen, of Lionel Town, Clarendon.

 

The other people are unidentified.

 

The first incident occurred on Marcus Garvey Drive involving an unidentified pedestrian and the driver of a Honda Vezel motorcar.

 

It's reported that about 4:15 a.m., the Honda Vezel was travelling along Marcus Garvey Drive in the middle lane toward Three Miles when it hit a woman who was crossing the road.

 

The woman fell on top of the windscreen and then onto the road.

 

She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

 

The driver has been warned for prosecution.

 

The second crash occurred on the Nompriel main road in Negril about 6:20 a.m.

 

Mr. Clarke was driving a Cobra CG200 motorcycle, with Mr. Allen as his pillion rider, when on reaching five metres west of the intersection of Heskett Road, it is alleged that he undertook a motor truck, lost control of the motorcycle and collided in a large boulder.

 

Both Mr. Clarke and Mr. Allen fell onto the road and suffered multiple injuries.

 

They were pronounced dead at hospital. 

 

Another motorcycle driver died and the pillion rider injured as a result of a collision along DaCosta Drive in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

 

It's reported that about 6:50 p.m., a Ministry of Health ambulance was going through the stop light on green when the motorcycle exited from the Eight Rivers Plaza and made a right turn into its path.

 

Both the driver and pillion rider fell from the motorcycle.

 

They were seriously injured and taken to St. Ann's Bay Regional Hospital where the driver died.

 

 

Up to Wednesday, the number of road fatalities was 363 from 313 collisions.

 

Despite the deaths, Vice Chair of the National Road Safety Council, Dr. Lucien Jones, said the country remains on track to record fewer road fatalities compared with last year. 

 

"With another five days to go, it is beginning to look like under 370 road deaths, compared to last year's figure of 425. If that does happen, it would mean that 55 less persons will die in 2024 which is a huge number. The challenge for the country however, is that despite the good news, we have a very long road to travel to achieve what the WHO has mandated for all countries, to reduce road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030," he acknowledged. 

 

Meanwhile, the National Road Safety Council said the provision of resources to enhance its capacity to carry out its mandate is being discussed at the highest level.

 

"This as in recent years the National Road Safety Council has had to depend on international funding to finance road safety projects in Jamaica... and funds to provide breathalysers for the police and additional training and also data collection," he noted.      

 

Dr. Jones said significant changes are expected in the New Year.