JAMAICAN TEENAGERS are rarely involved in traffic accidents and other misdemeanours on Jamaican roads, unlike adult motorists who have helped to send traffic accident statistics racing to 172 deaths since the start of the year.Statistics from the Police Traffic Division indicate that teenagers are an "insignificant" group who have been involved in less than four per cent of the fatal traffic accidents over the past three years.
The figures show that since 1997, there have been seven reported accidents resulting in deaths, which occurred when teenagers were behind the wheel, and 78 teenagers killed in traffic accidents.
"We do have teenagers involved in accidents around the wheel but our figures suggest that the most vulnerable group is the 20-24. This may be because there are fewer teenagers who are licensed and even fewer who have access to cars," said Corporal Herbert Dennis of the Police Traffic Division.
Persons within the 20-24 age group are considered the most at risk, as 123 of them have been killed since 1997.
The Island Traffic Authority, yet to be computer automated, is unable to provide data on the number of licensed teenage drivers in Jamaica. But NEM motor vehicle insurance company reports that there are only 629 persons under 21 insured at their company.
"This represents a very small minority of our insured, less than five per cent," said the Managing Director, Dennis Patterson.
UGI group, which claims to be the largest motor vehicle insurer, reports this age group to be less than one per cent of its total insured. A representative from UGI explained that insurance stipulations also helped to lessen the incidents involving teenagers on the road. Some policies disallow teenagers from being insured to drive or they attract very high charges.
Teenagers caught driving without licences are subjected to the general fine of not more than $10,000, plus $2,000 for driving without insurance, the police said. If a teenager is involved in a fatal accident he/she would be charged with manslaughter or dangerous driving. For dangerous and reckless driving, the teenager could be fined $3,000 and disqualified from driving for one year.
"We are stiff on kids caught driving without licences, and their parents will be charged for aiding and abetting an offence. We do not have any statistics to indicate the number of teenagers who may have been reprimanded or charged for driving without a licence as our computer system is presently down." said Corporal Dennis.
Twenty-one-year-old Anique Mendez received head injuries in a traffic accident on Mandela Highway two years ago, which left the driver of that car, a teenager, dead. She believes that young people do need to exercise caution on road.
"Guys seem to be much more reckless than girls but every driver should be careful and take the road seriously." she said.
Teddy Brown, parent of Stephen Brown, who was injured in the same accident at age 18, said "All parents are concerned when their children go out. I certainly don't sleep until my children come in at night. No matter how they drive responsibly around you ... they can be affected by the peer pressure which sometimes causes them to drive recklessly."
