In observance of Road Safety Month, Jamalco conducted road safety sessions at schools, in its operational communities. The sessions were aimed at educating students on the importance of road safety and responsible behavior on the roads.
Sergeant Craig Bonitto and Constable Romaine Young of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Road Safety Unit facilitated the sessions, which included interactive road safety simulations. The engaging and informative sessions equipped students with valuable knowledge and skills to navigate the roads safely.
Jamalco recognizes the alarming rate of road fatalities in Jamaica, with some 400 lives lost each year. By partnering with the JCF’s Road Safety Unit, Jamalco aims to contribute to reducing this statistic by instilling road safety awareness in the younger generation. “Road accidents are the 2nd leading cause of death in Jamaica, so it is important to be alert when crossing the road,” said Sergeant Bonitto. He told the students that a best practice while crossing the road was to wait until they made eye contact with the driver before crossing.
Sergeant Bonitto also encouraged the students to always use the pedestrian crossing and that they should not play on the streets. “You need to think, look for a safe place to cross, stop, use your eyes and ears, and look to the left, right, and then to the left again and only cross if the road is clear”, he said.
Senior Community Relations Officer, Phillip Biggs explained that “Jamalco remains committed to the well-being of its operational communities and will continue to support initiatives that promote safety and responsible behavior on our roads. We recognize that children are consistent users, hence our commitment to supporting their safety on our busy streets,” Mr. Biggs stated.
“The road safety sessions were engaging, informative, and fun for our students,” said Principal of the Rock River Primary, Mr. Machell Spencer, who saluted Jamalco’ s initiative in promoting road safety awareness in our communities.” He also expressed gratitude to the Officers for the informative sessions, that both students and teachers can use to enhance their safety while on the roads.