Despite a decline in senior-citizen deaths in 2009, the Road Safety Unit (RSU) at the Ministry of Transport and Works plans to organise seminars next year to help make life on Jamaican roads less stressful for the elderly.
Kenute Hare, a director of the RSU, says of the 315 persons killed on Jamaican roads to date this year, 41 were over 60 years old. According to the RSU, that is one less than last year's figure and 12 less than 2007.
"That's not much to celebrate, we still want to get those figures lower," Hare told Automotives. He did not give an itinerary for the seminars but said they will be broad-based and largely aimed at educating older citizens.
"Once the body gets older, it becomes susceptible to certain things, so persons will be shown how to use roads, whether they are a motorist, pedal cyclist or pedestrian," Hare said. "The programme will be built on analysis, not emotion."
Pedestrians account for the most senior citizen road deaths this year.
Twenty-one of them lost their lives, while nine passengers in private motor cars were killed, none of whom was wearing a seat belt.
Hare said the six pedal cyclists who were killed did not wear an helmet.
Accidents claimed the lives of two elderly drivers of private motor cars.
age limit
The RSU considers elderly drivers as 62 years and older. Although the Island Traffic Authority - the organisation that issues driver's licences - does not have an age limit for drivers, Hare says insurance companies put seniors through rigorous scrutiny before giving the go-ahead for them to drive.
Road deaths among seniors in Jamaica have dropped significantly since 2004 when 64 fatalities were recorded. Since 2004, pedestrians have accounted for most deaths.
Earlier this year, the New York Times reported a major decline in deaths of elderly motorists in the United States. It noted that fatalities per capita among older people have decreased by 35 per cent since 1975 and are now at their lowest level.
"The annual decline for drivers aged 70 to 74 was 0.55 fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers, and for those over 80 it was 1.33," the Times report stated.