The recent accident on the Llandovery main road is a chilling reminder of what results when drivers act irresponsibly and recklessly. This accident, involving two public-passenger vehicles, also begs the question of what is being done to tame these drivers.

Based on the information that emanated from this tragedy, good judgement was not exercised. The persons who know this stretch of roadway can also recall the many valuable lives that have been snuffed out unnecessarily.

I was on the stretch of roadway a couple hours before the tragedy struck on Monday evening and I was in awe at the manner in which public-transport operators, parti-cularly the taxi drivers, used the road. The senseless dipping in and out of traffic was horrifying and is in itself 'accidents waiting to happen'. Some of these vehicles were also overloaded.

Do what is right

I must note that on my journey from Ocho Rios to Runaway Bay that night I came upon two police operations - the last being very close to the Llandovery stretch. We all know that, based on limitations, the police cannot be in all places all the time. That is why I am hypothesising the notion that the wanton destruction of lives on our roadways will continue if drivers refuse to act responsibly. I assume that all drivers were trained on the correct way to use our roadways, so I ask, why do we really need to be policed to do what is right?

I go a little further and say that where it is found that a driver acted carelessly and recklessly, resulting in the death of a passenger or pedestrian, that driver should be tried and charged with murder, not manslaughter. I believe that making the penalties more severe may drive some sense into the heads of some of our drivers.

We cannot continue to watch Jamaicans die on our roadways at the hands of persons whose behaviour is simply saying 'we don't really care'.

I am, etc.,

PAT BIGNALL

wilbig@cwjamaica.com