Sunday’s lead story in this newspaper, headlined ‘Haunted by Carnage’ is yet another reminder of the critical importance of the Road Traffic Act 2018, regulations for which have now cleared Parliament after years of delay.

We have no doubt that efficient enforcement of new traffic laws and regulations — backed by state-of-the-art technology to spot wrongdoers — will have a very positive effect.

Transport Minister Audley Shaw has already indicated his ambition that by 2030 Jamaican road deaths will be cut by 50 per cent. That’s in line with a global plan developed by the World Health Organization, the United Nations (UN) Regional Commissions, in cooperation with the UN Road Safety Collaboration.

Last month Mr Shaw told Parliament that… “In Jamaica, we have close to 500 persons dying [annually] on our roads right now … If we cut this by 50 per cent, it will go down to 250 and that would still be too many…”

As has been said repeatedly, it’s not just the grief and horror that come with death and injury on the roads. There is, front and centre, the huge cost amounting to many billions of dollars in health care, insurance coverage, loss of income, et al.

Hopefully, the authorities are in a good place in terms of effective enforcement. Earlier this month we emphasised that point in this space. We said then that “having the law in place will not, by itself, act as a deterrent to reckless driving, which is at the root of most crashes”.

In Parliament, Mr Shaw, among others, underlined this fact.

Said Mr Shaw: “…let’s remind ourselves that the challenge is not just writing the Act and passing it. It’s not just writing the regulations and passing them. The real challenge is …implementation, to make sure that the country and the people benefit …”

Mr Shaw applauded the cooperation between Government and Opposition, referred to by him as “joined-up approach”. That’s surely an example of what can be achieved in other areas of crisis — not least crime.

Also, no praise can be too much for those on the outside of governance who have relentlessly lobbied, pushed and prodded our legislators for action on road safety. We believe special mention is in order for Dr Lucien Jones and Mrs Paula Fletcher of the National Road Safety Council. Their total commitment to saving lives and preventing injuries stands as a shining example.

Obviously there must be sustained public education about the far-reaching changes that will soon affect road users.

In that regard, we note useful advice from Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie for motorists to start now in obeying upcoming measures such as a ban on using handheld cellphones while driving.

For many of us such habits will be hard to break.

Beyond all of the above, Sunday’s lead story represents compelling argument for Jamaicans and their leaders to contemplate psychological support for those professionals who must respond first to traumatising road crashes. We believe much the same is needed for first responders to violent crime and other dire emergencies.

In Jamaica, land we love, there is much to be done.