Jamaica’s National Road Safety Council (NRSC) is urging the government to accelerate reforms and strengthen enforcement to tackle road fatalities, warning that delays put Jamaica’s most productive age-group at risk.

In a letter to the Prime Minister and key stakeholders, NRSC Vice-Chairman, Dr. Lucien Jones said road safety must rank alongside economic growth, crime reduction, food security and other national priorities.

He outlined immediate steps including expanding the NRSC’s capacity rolling out the full provisions of the Road Traffic Act – including the long-delayed de-merit points system deploying new enforcement technologies.

He also called for implementing recommendations from the International Road Assessment Programme, Road Safety Report.

Additionally, Dr. Jones appealed to the private sector, civil society, the church, universities and the media to partner in national efforts to reduce road deaths and injuries.

The push aligns with the World Health Organization’s target, to cut global road fatalities, by 50% by 2030.

He stressed that road fatalities disproportionately affect Jamaicans aged 18 to 48, imposing a heavy social and economic burden and hampering long-term national development.