Dwight Nelson, Gleaner Writer

The Clarendon Traffic Department will be intensifying operations on all major thoroughfares in the parish, particularly the Bustamante Highway.

The move comes on the heels of two fatal road accidents at the weekend which claimed eight lives in less than 24 hours.

The first occurred on Friday about 3:10 p.m. on the Dawkins Pen main road when a grey Toyota Camry motor car travelling towards Hayes overtook a line of traffic and collided with a Volvo motor truck travelling in the opposite direction.

All five occupants in the Toyota Camry died. The truck driver remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.

"Speeding and careless overtaking was the contributory factor to the accident and it could be avoided if drivers adhere to the traffic rules," Corporal Owen Wright, subofficer in charge of Clarendon South, told The Gleaner.

Second accident

The second major accident occurred on Saturday about 12:20 p.m. on the Bustamante Highway in the vicinity of Cherry Tree Lane, involving a taxi, a white Corolla station wagon, which was travelling towards May Pen and a brown Toyota Corolla sedan travelling towards Mandeville.

The police reported that the brown Corolla overtook a line of traffic and collided with the other vehicle.

The driver of the taxi, 31-year-old Howard Bachan, succumbed to his injuries, while the four passengers, including an eight-month-old baby, were admitted to hospital in serious condition.

The driver of the brown Corolla, 42-year-old Howell Watson of a York Town address, as well as another occupant, 36-year-old Don McLeod of Hatfield, Manchester, succumbed to injuries.

Six injured remain in hospital.

Sergeant Adolph Ewart, subofficer in charge of traffic for Clarendon, expressed concern that the ticketing system was ineffective.

The traffic cop is appealing to the Government to upgrade the penalty system, so it can be tied to the issuance and renewal of driver's licences or motor vehicle registration.