POWELL

AN INCREASE in traffic personnel at key points has helped reduce the number of traffic accidents during the Christmas holidays, says head of the police Traffic Division, Senior Super-intendent Ealan Powell.

SSP Powell told The Gleaner that there has been a 50 per cent decline in road fatalities and accidents in December since one year ago.

"This year we haven't had too many adverse reports. Three years ago we had a lot of deaths in December, but the last two years have been good," SSP Powell said.

In December 2004, as many as 23 persons were killed within a week.

Between December 20 and 26 of that year, 18 persons perished in three separate motor vehicle accidents. The first six died along the Bog Walk gorge in St. Catherine, and another six lost their lives in Scotts Cove district, Westmoreland. Six more died on December 26 when an overloaded taxi overturned along the Lodge main road, St. Ann.

SSP Powell credits the boost in police numbers at problem areas such as the Mandela Highway, which links Kingston to St. Catherine, for the steady decrease in accidents.

Other areas that have been specially monitored include the Ocho Rios to Discovery Bay highway; the Lacovia main road in St. Elizabeth; and the Montego Bay to Negril highway.

SSP Powell said the speed check has been the most effective aspect of the police patrols.

Despite the encouraging grade, the festive season has not been without blemish on the roads. On Saturday, Michael Williams was killed when the bicycle he was riding collided with a Toyota Fielder car near the Lucea courthouse in Hanover.

Later that day, 44-year-old Garfield Mendez died from injuries sustained in a three-car crash in Williamsfield, Manchester.

The traffic police say almost 320 persons have died in road accidents up to December 24 this year.

Up to December 20 last year there had been 361 deaths recorded. This was a spike in deaths from the 301 recorded up to December 22 a year earlier, as well as the 312 deaths tallied up to December 17, 2004.

At the end of 2003, however, there were 379 deaths recorded.