Dalton Laing, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Carey Wallace, 29-year-old higgler of Cooke Street in Savanna-la-Mar, was killed in this three-vehicle collision early yesterday morning along the Big Bridge main road in Westmoreland. - Photo by Dalton Laing

Savanna-la-Mar:

Twenty-nine-year-old higgler, Carey Wallace of Cooke Street in Savanna-la-Mar, was killed in a three-car collision early yesterday morning along the Big Bridge main road in Westmoreland, while six other persons were treated at hospital for minor injuries.

The crash brings to 247 the number of persons killed in traffic accidents since the start of the year and underscores concerns by road safety officials that government and civil society need to embark on a new thrust to improve safety on the nation's roads.

The negative trend in road safety comes after earlier gains with the introduction of several measures, including the breathalyser and seat-belt regulations.

Wallace, also known as 'Rasta,' was reportedly heading in the direction of Savanna-la-Mar at about 6:20 a.m. when his attempt to overtake a truck resulted in a collision with two oncoming vehicles.

Oneil Graham, who was on his way to work at Grand Lido Negril in his 1998 Toyota Corolla, was the first to be hit by Wallace's car and he explained how the accident occurred.

Overtook truck

"I was heading for work and a station wagon Toyota Corolla was behind me while an International truck was coming from the opposite direction. Just as I reached right at the front of the truck, a red Honda Civic just came from behind ... and started overtaking the truck," Graham related.

He said that he tried to avoid a collision by going wide, but the Civic hit his right fender, which caused his car to spin twice before ending up in a yard. "When I jumped out of my car, I realised that the car behind me collided with the Civic," he recounted.

Elvis Cohen, the driver of the station wagon which he used as a taxi and the four passengers, all females, sustained minor injuries.

A man who lives close to the scene of the accident who identifies himself as Latch Pin, said that speeding is a common thing on the Big Bridge main road and warned the drivers to take heed. "The man them nah behave themselves. Them a gwaan like a plane them a fly. Them fi tek it easy."