KINGSTON, Jamaica — Despite numerous appeals from the authorities to motorists to cut speed and obey the daily curfew to contain the spread of COVID-19, road fatalities during those hours continue to increase and currently accounts for 120 or approximately one third of the 368 road deaths this year. 

One hundred and twenty road deaths during curfew hours — a time when only authorised people should be on the streets — represents a 131 per cent increase over 2020 when there were just 52 fatalities. 

Accounting for 130 of the overall 368 road deaths, motorcyclists continue to pose a big challenge for the authorities. Pedestrians accounted for 74 deaths, while 64 drivers and 47 passengers of private motor vehicles were killed in crashes. 

Statistics from the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, indicate that 97 deaths this year occurred due to people proceeding at excessive speed with no regard to conditions. Seventy-three people were killed because they failed to stay in the proper traffic lane and 31 pedestrians died while walking or standing in the road. 

The Road Safety Unit says the increasing fatalities is a worrying trend and appealed to the nation to use the roads with caution.