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JAM | Jan 4, 2024

Road fatalities down 13% for 2023

Vanassa McKenzie

Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Despite a surge in road crashes towards the end of the year, the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Island Traffic Authority says fatalities were 13 per cent lower at the close of 2023.

A total of 425 Jamaicans have lost their lives on the nation’s roadways up to Sunday, December 31, 2023, according to the RSU. While still a high figure, the RSU said the reduction comes from comparison with the previous year when 488 road fatalities were recorded.

Motorcyclists accounted for the highest number of road fatalities followed by pedestrians and private motor vehicle drivers.

The parishes of Westmoreland, St Catherine, and St Andrew accounted for the highest number of fatalities last year.

Males accounted for 88 per cent of the total number of fatalities recorded.

The RSU is reminding road users to obey the rules of the road and take caution at all times.

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