Jamaica’s Roads Are Becoming Killing Fields: A Call for Urgent Government Action Now
The Issue
Dear Prime Minister of Jamaica and law makers, We the people demand change now! Every year, hundreds of Jamaicans leave their homes expecting to return safely, only to become victims of reckless and unlawful behaviour on our roads. Your current laws or whatever you are doing isn't working. People are losing loved ones and friends, mothers and father lose sons or daughters, children lose parents, families and friends are left grieving because some motorists choose to speed, overtake dangerously, drive while distracted, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fail to indicate, blind oncoming traffic with high beams, or operate vehicles without the qualifications required by law.
*** Road fatalities are not merely statistics. They are preventable tragedies caused by human decisions ***
Jamaica recorded 374 road traffic fatalities from 325 fatal crashes in 2025, while road traffic incidents continue to injure thousands of people annually. Jamaicans Urged to Remain Vigilant and Prioritise Safety on Roadways [1] https://jis.gov.jm/jamaicans-urged-to-remain-vigilant-and-prioritise-safety-on-roadways/
Road safety experts have also reported that road traffic incidents are among the leading causes of death and injury in Jamaica, with more than 10,000 persons injured each year, many suffering life-changing disabilities. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2]
https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
These alarming figures should compel the Government of Jamaica to take far stronger action against traffic offenders.
DANGEROUS OVERTAKING MUST BE TREATED AS RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Dangerous overtaking remains one of the most frightening and irresponsible acts committed on Jamaican roads. Drivers routinely overtake on corners, hills, pedestrian crossings, and solid lines, forcing oncoming motorists to take evasive action to avoid head-on collisions.
No destination is worth a life.
A driver who knowingly overtakes in an unsafe manner is gambling with the lives of innocent people. Such conduct should attract severe penalties, including immediate licence suspension and substantial financial penalties.
SPEEDING CONTINUES TO KILL JAMAICANS The evidence is overwhelming. Speeding remains one of the primary causes of death on Jamaican roads.
The Island Traffic Authority reported that speeding accounted for 24 per cent of road deaths during a 2026 reporting period, making it the leading cause of fatal road crashes. Speeding Remains Leading Cause of Fatal Road Crashes [3]
https://jis.gov.jm/speeding-remains-leading-cause-of-fatal-road-crashes/
Additional road safety data found speeding to be present in approximately 23 per cent of fatal crashes and associated with 60 per cent of crashes occurring on rural roads. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2] https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
Speeding reduces reaction time, increases stopping distance, and dramatically increases the likelihood that a collision will result in death rather than injury.
DRINK AND DRUG DRIVING SHOULD BE MET WITH ZERO TOLERANCE
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the most irresponsible decisions a motorist can make.
Road safety studies in Jamaica have identified alcohol-impaired driving as a significant contributor to collisions, fatalities, and injuries. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2]
https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
A person who drives while intoxicated knowingly places every road user in danger. Such behaviour should be treated not as a simple traffic offence but as a serious threat to public safety.
No family should lose a loved one because someone chose to drink, take drugs, and then drive.
MOBILE PHONE USE WHILST DRIVING IS DISTRACTING
Despite repeated warnings, many drivers continue to talk, text, browse social media, or check messages while operating a vehicle. A vehicle travelling at highway speed can cover hundreds of feet in only a few seconds. During that time, a distracted driver is effectively driving blind.
The use of mobile phones behind the wheel should be aggressively enforced through technology, roadside patrols, and automatic detection systems.
UNQUALIFIED AND UNLICENSED DRIVERS HAVE NO PLACE ON JAMAICAN ROADS
Far too often, individuals operate vehicles without proper training, without passing the required driving examinations, or without holding a valid licence.
Driving is not an entitlement. It is a responsibility that requires competence, judgement, and knowledge of the law.
Unqualified drivers place every pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, passenger, and motorist at risk. The Government should conduct more frequent enforcement operations targeting unlicensed and unqualified drivers and impose severe consequences on those found operating vehicles illegally.
FAILURE TO INDICATE AND IMPROPER USE OF HIGH BEAMS ENDANGER LIVES
Although often viewed as minor offences, failing to indicate and misusing high-beam headlights contribute significantly to dangerous road conditions.
Drivers who fail to signal create uncertainty and increase the risk of collisions. Likewise, motorists who refuse to dim their headlights can temporarily blind oncoming traffic, creating conditions that may result in fatal crashes.
Courtesy and responsibility on the road are not optional. They save lives.
HIT IT WHERE IT HURTS BY INCREASING FINES SUBSTANTIALLY
Current penalties are clearly insufficient to deter repeat offenders.
The Government should consider increasing fines for serious traffic violations from a minimum of J$50,000 to as much as J$1,000,000 for the most dangerous offences and repeat offenders.
Suggested penalty ranges could include:
- Dangerous overtaking: J$250,000 to J$1,000,000
- Excessive speeding: J$350,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving under the influence of alcohol: J$400,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving under the influence of drugs: J$400,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving while using a mobile phone: J$350,000 to J$900,000
- Driving without a valid licence: J$300,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving without ever being properly qualified: J$350,000 to J$1,000,000
- Failing to indicate: J$50,000 to J$200,000
- Improper use of high beams: J$50,000 to J$350,000
Repeat offenders should also face licence suspension, vehicle impoundment, mandatory retraining, and where appropriate, imprisonment.
Create a Dedicated Traffic Enforcement Unit
Jamaica should establish a specialised, highly visible national Traffic Enforcement Unit whose sole responsibility is road safety.
This unit should:
- Monitor speeding hot spots.
- Conduct random sobriety checkpoints.
- Target dangerous overtaking.
- Detect distracted drivers.
- Enforce licensing laws.
- Respond to reports of reckless driving.
- Use modern surveillance and enforcement technology.
Such a unit would demonstrate that road safety is a national priority and not merely an afterthought.
RING-FENCE FINE REVENUE FOR ROAD SAFETY Perhaps most importantly, all or a significant portion of money collected from traffic fines should be legally protected and invested directly into road safety initiatives.
These funds should be used to:
- Install speed cameras across Jamaica.
- Expand red-light camera systems.
- Fund the dedicated Traffic Enforcement Unit.
- Purchase speed detection equipment and breathalysers.
- Improve road markings and signage.
- Enhance street lighting.
- Conduct public education campaigns.
- Support road safety programmes in schools and communities. -Support victims and people who have experienced trauma from road accidents.
Motorists would have greater confidence in enforcement if they could see that fine revenue was being used specifically to save lives.
Conclusion The devastating loss of life on Jamaica's roads is not inevitable. It is the consequence of choices made by reckless drivers and the failure to adequately deter dangerous behaviour.
When hundreds of Jamaicans are dying every year on the nation's roads, stronger action is not optional. It is a moral necessity.
The Government of Jamaica must act boldly by imposing tougher penalties, increasing fines to meaningful levels, removing dangerous and unqualified drivers from the roads, creating a dedicated traffic enforcement unit, expanding the use of speed cameras, and ensuring that every dollar collected from traffic violations is reinvested into road safety.
Every life saved is a family spared unimaginable grief. Jamaica must make it unmistakably clear that dangerous driving will no longer be tolerated. The cost of inaction is measured not in dollars, but in human lives.
17
The Issue
Dear Prime Minister of Jamaica and law makers, We the people demand change now! Every year, hundreds of Jamaicans leave their homes expecting to return safely, only to become victims of reckless and unlawful behaviour on our roads. Your current laws or whatever you are doing isn't working. People are losing loved ones and friends, mothers and father lose sons or daughters, children lose parents, families and friends are left grieving because some motorists choose to speed, overtake dangerously, drive while distracted, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fail to indicate, blind oncoming traffic with high beams, or operate vehicles without the qualifications required by law.
*** Road fatalities are not merely statistics. They are preventable tragedies caused by human decisions ***
Jamaica recorded 374 road traffic fatalities from 325 fatal crashes in 2025, while road traffic incidents continue to injure thousands of people annually. Jamaicans Urged to Remain Vigilant and Prioritise Safety on Roadways [1] https://jis.gov.jm/jamaicans-urged-to-remain-vigilant-and-prioritise-safety-on-roadways/
Road safety experts have also reported that road traffic incidents are among the leading causes of death and injury in Jamaica, with more than 10,000 persons injured each year, many suffering life-changing disabilities. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2]
https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
These alarming figures should compel the Government of Jamaica to take far stronger action against traffic offenders.
DANGEROUS OVERTAKING MUST BE TREATED AS RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Dangerous overtaking remains one of the most frightening and irresponsible acts committed on Jamaican roads. Drivers routinely overtake on corners, hills, pedestrian crossings, and solid lines, forcing oncoming motorists to take evasive action to avoid head-on collisions.
No destination is worth a life.
A driver who knowingly overtakes in an unsafe manner is gambling with the lives of innocent people. Such conduct should attract severe penalties, including immediate licence suspension and substantial financial penalties.
SPEEDING CONTINUES TO KILL JAMAICANS The evidence is overwhelming. Speeding remains one of the primary causes of death on Jamaican roads.
The Island Traffic Authority reported that speeding accounted for 24 per cent of road deaths during a 2026 reporting period, making it the leading cause of fatal road crashes. Speeding Remains Leading Cause of Fatal Road Crashes [3]
https://jis.gov.jm/speeding-remains-leading-cause-of-fatal-road-crashes/
Additional road safety data found speeding to be present in approximately 23 per cent of fatal crashes and associated with 60 per cent of crashes occurring on rural roads. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2] https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
Speeding reduces reaction time, increases stopping distance, and dramatically increases the likelihood that a collision will result in death rather than injury.
DRINK AND DRUG DRIVING SHOULD BE MET WITH ZERO TOLERANCE
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is one of the most irresponsible decisions a motorist can make.
Road safety studies in Jamaica have identified alcohol-impaired driving as a significant contributor to collisions, fatalities, and injuries. Final PAHO Booklet - Single Page [2]
https://www.paho.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/unrsf-roadsafety-booklet.pdf
A person who drives while intoxicated knowingly places every road user in danger. Such behaviour should be treated not as a simple traffic offence but as a serious threat to public safety.
No family should lose a loved one because someone chose to drink, take drugs, and then drive.
MOBILE PHONE USE WHILST DRIVING IS DISTRACTING
Despite repeated warnings, many drivers continue to talk, text, browse social media, or check messages while operating a vehicle. A vehicle travelling at highway speed can cover hundreds of feet in only a few seconds. During that time, a distracted driver is effectively driving blind.
The use of mobile phones behind the wheel should be aggressively enforced through technology, roadside patrols, and automatic detection systems.
UNQUALIFIED AND UNLICENSED DRIVERS HAVE NO PLACE ON JAMAICAN ROADS
Far too often, individuals operate vehicles without proper training, without passing the required driving examinations, or without holding a valid licence.
Driving is not an entitlement. It is a responsibility that requires competence, judgement, and knowledge of the law.
Unqualified drivers place every pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, passenger, and motorist at risk. The Government should conduct more frequent enforcement operations targeting unlicensed and unqualified drivers and impose severe consequences on those found operating vehicles illegally.
FAILURE TO INDICATE AND IMPROPER USE OF HIGH BEAMS ENDANGER LIVES
Although often viewed as minor offences, failing to indicate and misusing high-beam headlights contribute significantly to dangerous road conditions.
Drivers who fail to signal create uncertainty and increase the risk of collisions. Likewise, motorists who refuse to dim their headlights can temporarily blind oncoming traffic, creating conditions that may result in fatal crashes.
Courtesy and responsibility on the road are not optional. They save lives.
HIT IT WHERE IT HURTS BY INCREASING FINES SUBSTANTIALLY
Current penalties are clearly insufficient to deter repeat offenders.
The Government should consider increasing fines for serious traffic violations from a minimum of J$50,000 to as much as J$1,000,000 for the most dangerous offences and repeat offenders.
Suggested penalty ranges could include:
- Dangerous overtaking: J$250,000 to J$1,000,000
- Excessive speeding: J$350,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving under the influence of alcohol: J$400,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving under the influence of drugs: J$400,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving while using a mobile phone: J$350,000 to J$900,000
- Driving without a valid licence: J$300,000 to J$1,000,000
- Driving without ever being properly qualified: J$350,000 to J$1,000,000
- Failing to indicate: J$50,000 to J$200,000
- Improper use of high beams: J$50,000 to J$350,000
Repeat offenders should also face licence suspension, vehicle impoundment, mandatory retraining, and where appropriate, imprisonment.
Create a Dedicated Traffic Enforcement Unit
Jamaica should establish a specialised, highly visible national Traffic Enforcement Unit whose sole responsibility is road safety.
This unit should:
- Monitor speeding hot spots.
- Conduct random sobriety checkpoints.
- Target dangerous overtaking.
- Detect distracted drivers.
- Enforce licensing laws.
- Respond to reports of reckless driving.
- Use modern surveillance and enforcement technology.
Such a unit would demonstrate that road safety is a national priority and not merely an afterthought.
RING-FENCE FINE REVENUE FOR ROAD SAFETY Perhaps most importantly, all or a significant portion of money collected from traffic fines should be legally protected and invested directly into road safety initiatives.
These funds should be used to:
- Install speed cameras across Jamaica.
- Expand red-light camera systems.
- Fund the dedicated Traffic Enforcement Unit.
- Purchase speed detection equipment and breathalysers.
- Improve road markings and signage.
- Enhance street lighting.
- Conduct public education campaigns.
- Support road safety programmes in schools and communities. -Support victims and people who have experienced trauma from road accidents.
Motorists would have greater confidence in enforcement if they could see that fine revenue was being used specifically to save lives.
Conclusion The devastating loss of life on Jamaica's roads is not inevitable. It is the consequence of choices made by reckless drivers and the failure to adequately deter dangerous behaviour.
When hundreds of Jamaicans are dying every year on the nation's roads, stronger action is not optional. It is a moral necessity.
The Government of Jamaica must act boldly by imposing tougher penalties, increasing fines to meaningful levels, removing dangerous and unqualified drivers from the roads, creating a dedicated traffic enforcement unit, expanding the use of speed cameras, and ensuring that every dollar collected from traffic violations is reinvested into road safety.
Every life saved is a family spared unimaginable grief. Jamaica must make it unmistakably clear that dangerous driving will no longer be tolerated. The cost of inaction is measured not in dollars, but in human lives.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 31 October 2026