Six persons, including three teenagers, died in separate motor vehicle crashes on Independence Day, yesterday.
Two of the crashes, which resulted in four deaths, occurred after the start of the daily all-island curfew at 3 o’clock, according to police reports.
Since the start of the year, a total of 290 people have died on the nation’s roadways.
Based on the latest statistics compiled by the police, this is 30 more or 13 per cent higher than the figure recorded for the comparative period last year.
This has fuelled fears among road safety stakeholders that Jamaica could record close to 500 road deaths this year.
The first crash occurred about 2:30 p.m along the Land Lease Main Road in St Elizabeth and involved a motorcycle with no license plate.
It’s reported that the motorcycle driver failed to negotiate a corner and collided with a motor truck.
The 18-year-old driver and his 14-year-old pillion both died.
Just over an hour later, a taxi crashed into a truck that was parked along the main road in Tollgate, Clarendon killing one of the people on board.
A 14-year-old girl is among the other Independence Day fatalities.
She and two other people were killed after two cars collided near Panton Corner in Manchester about 5.20 p.m.