Jamaica’s road safety improvement

Jamaica is seeing an improvement in road safety, with a reduction in casualty levels. So far in 2017, overall road deaths have been 49 less than in the same period during 2016. The road death toll at the end of 2017 is hoped to be significantly lower than in 2016, itself an improvement over the previous year. During 2016 there were 379 road deaths in Jamaica, compared with 382 in 2015.
December 4, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Jamaica is seeing an improvement in road safety, with a reduction in casualty levels. So far in 2017, overall road deaths have been 49 less than in the same period during 2016. The road death toll at the end of 2017 is hoped to be significantly lower than in 2016, itself an improvement over the previous year. During 2016 there were 379 road deaths in Jamaica, compared with 382 in 2015.


One key strategy in reducing road deaths is in encouraging motorcyclists to wear helmets. Motorcyclists now account for over 30% of all road deaths in Jamaica, an increase from the 15% of 2010. And 90% of those motorcycle riders killed were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash. Road safety groups as well as the Jamaican police are pushing the message to riders that helmets can cut fatality rates. Meanwhile the Jamaican police force is also now trying to tackle speeding, another key factor in crash severity and risk.

Crashes place a heavy burden on the families of victims. A government report also suggests that crashes reduces Jamaica’s GDP by 3-5%, an economic impact the country can ill afford. The country is still aiming to meet the UN’s aims of reducing road deaths.

Related Content

  • Powered two wheeler safety plan for Europe
    November 16, 2015
    A new road safety strategy for powered two wheelers in Europe has been set out jointly following discussions. The results of analysis have been set out in a joint position statement by the bodies FEMA, FIM and FIM Europe. In the draft report FEMA and FIM have identified seven major areas of great importance that are in accordance with the positions of the riders’ organisations in Europe and elsewhere. Key recommendations and statements from the OECD-ITF draft report highlight issues for the safety of powe
    Read More
  • Vietnam’s road safety is improving, albeit slowly
    December 6, 2016
    Vietnam’s road safety statistics are improving, a major development for the country. Between December the 16th 2015 and November the 15th 2016, there were 19,429 crashes in Vietnam, a drop of 1,426 than from the same period in the previous year. Meanwhile injuries due to road crashes dropped by 1,990 to 17,184 for the period compared with the previous year. Road deaths during this time reached 7,907. Various road safety measures have been introduced by the Vietnam Government in a bid to cut the casualty rat
    Read More
  • The UK is working with Jamaica to drive down its road deaths
    April 11, 2013
    A new partnership between Jamaica and the UK is intended to reduce road deaths in the Caribbean country. This novel agreement on improving road safety forms part of international twinning programme. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD are joining forces for this twinning initiative. Under the programme Jamaica and the UK will promote the implementation of best practices in road safety data collection. The goal of the twinning is to help Jamaica a
    Read More
  • Police in Nepal hold road safety event
    September 10, 2014
    Nepal’s road traffic policing is improving to help tackle safety – information provided by World Highways correspondent Ram Krishna Wagle The police in Nepal recently held a road safety exhibition, aimed at reducing the casualty rate on the country’s road network.
    Read More

Highlighted Content