Corporate Giant Supports Road Safety Initiative

British Caribbean Insurance Company has pledged its support for road safety improvement initiatives this Labour Day (May 24) in the form of the sponsorship of high tech driver feedback signs, valued at approximately $250,000.00 each.

The signs were unveiled in the vicinity of the Crescent Primary School in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, site of the national project for Labour Day 2004.

The sign, introduced by 3M Limited, an international traffic safety solutions provider, has been customized for Jamaica bearing three sections:

The standard speed limit sign (e.g. 50 KPH)
An electronic sign or light emitting diode (LED) display section that will indicate the actual speed of approaching vehicles via radar and
The school crossing warning sign, which will be affixed when the sign is being installed locally

Marketing Coordinator of 3M Limited, Suzette Henriques said that the signs have been made using reflective material for increased visibility particularly at night. Motorists can see the sign from a distance of 100 to 150 meters.

Psychological Cop.
3M is assuring motorists that the sign is designed to help them keep their speed in check in the vicinity of the schools, acting as a psychological cop and it should not be seen as a sign for enforcement purposes.

According to Mr. Patrick Rose, director of planning and research at the National Works Agency, the current speed limit at the school would be reduced from 50 KPH to 30 KPH during school hours as a precautionary measure.

Signs will display the required speed limit to traffic traveling to and from the direction of the Bog Walk Gorge. Speaking at a press briefing outlining plans for Labour Day recently at the Knutsford Court Hotel, Managing Director of BCIC, Mr. Leslie Chung said that his organization had always noted the issue of the number of juvenile injuries and deaths caused by careless drivers on the road and the resultant effect, in which they were often times required to pay for their actions.

The law places a small value on children. Whereas the rewards in court for injury to adults are much greater, for children it is very minimal. Often times, those rewards are insufficient to care for the children, especially those who are terribly injured or handicapped, he said.

Mr. Chung also raised concern about the number of uninsured vehicles currently on the road, pointing out reports that have revealed that up to 30% of vehicles were not properly insured.

He noted that what was most unfortunate in those instances was the fact that there was no recourse because the uninsured either hits and runs or even if he was held, is a man of straw, bringing nothing to court so the child gained nothing.

New Initiative
This is why we came on board very quickly when we learnt of this new initiative by the Ministry and the Works Agency to mitigate the number of accidents that are occurring, especially those involving our children, he said.

Mr. Chung told the gathering that prior to the announcement of the national project, his company had expressed an interest in placing the signs in the vicinity of the Crescent Primary, as well as another location in Toll Gate, Clarendon, two vulnerable areas.

BCIC had pledged over $600,000.00.