The numbers are still too high, but we take some encouragement from data released by the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) last week that, between January 1 and December 19, there was a 14 per cent decrease in fatalities from motor vehicle crashes compared to the same period last year.

Converted to raw numbers that is 352 lives lost compared to 410 over the same period last year.

Additionally, the ITA reported that fatal crashes decreased by 18 per cent — 304 down from 370 — when compared with the similar period in 2023.

The data also show that of the total fatalities motorcyclists account for 33 per cent; pedestrians, 18 per cent; private motor vehicle drivers, 19 per cent; and private motor vehicle passengers, 13 per cent.

While we have no hard evidence, we suspect that strengthening of the Road Traffic Act, complete with much steeper penalties, as well as the ban on the handling of cellphones while driving have contributed to decreases in road fatalities.

However, as we said earlier, the death toll remains much too high.

And, especially at this time of year, we fear that it could get worse because of increased reckless behaviour when there are more parties and other events at which people overdo alcohol consumption.

We reiterate that it’s not just about the personal grief, horror, and trauma that come with death and injury on the roads. There is also the huge cost amounting to many billions of dollars in health care, insurance coverage, loss of income, and so forth.

Against that background, we welcome the move by the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) to help the police monitor and manage traffic, especially during this Yuletide.

For those who missed it, the NRSC has utilised US$400,000 in funding to acquire additional monitoring equipment to strengthen the police’s efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities.

Ms Paula Fletcher, executive director of the NRSC and a tireless road safety campaigner, told us that the initiative resulted in the police receiving 125 tablets in November to assist in monitoring speeding, as well as breath-testing equipment to check for excessive alcohol among speeding motorists.

According to Ms Fletcher, the initiative was undertaken with the help of the Pan American Health Organization.

That, plus the use of the e-ticketing system — designed to provide a more efficient, expeditious, and accurate alternative to written traffic tickets — will hopefully contribute to more responsible use of the roads.

Additionally, the e-ticketing system allows the police to instantly check outstanding tickets; get details pertaining to motor vehicle fitness, registration, insurance, and even whether the driver may be on the police wanted list.

We anticipate that whenever the JamaicaEye project finally achieves a higher level of efficiency, additional surveillance will also discourage irresponsible behaviour on our roads and allow police to catch more lawbreakers.

So, as we enter the high point of the festive season, this newspaper joins the NRSC in encouraging Jamaicans to avoid driving if you are out drinking. Arrange for a designated driver before you go partying, as alcohol impairs good judgement.

Also, as the NRSC continually points out, pedestrians should avoid wearing dark-coloured clothing at nights.

We also appeal to motorcycle drivers to accept the wisdom of wearing helmets and be responsible on the roads, as too many people in that category have died because of disturbing, self-harming practices.