Motorcycle safety advocates up against ‘culture that celebrates lawlessness’
Published:Tuesday | June 24, 2025 | 12:07 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
As motorcycle fatalities increase and continue to claim the lives of Jamaica’s young men, local road safety advocates are calling for more efforts to tackle the dangerous mix of rebellion, misinformation, and weak enforcement.
At a recent forum hosted by the National Helmet Wearing Coalition and the FIA Foundation at the AC Hotel in St Andrew, the panellists decried the state of motorcycle safety across the island but also expressed a shared hope for improved regulation through training and community outreach.
One of the most prominent voices during the discussion came from motorcyclist and National Helmet Wearing Coalition member, Marlon Fletcher, who began with a story he calls the “Devon House incident”.
“I was riding my motorcycle … with an intention to turn ... so I stopped at the stoplight,” he said. “Here comes this rider … he turns left, breaks the red light, heads down the road.”
However, what actually shocked Fletcher was not the reckless riding itself, but the social response, especially from a fellow motorist.
“The driver beside me rolled down his window and said to me, ‘You’re not a rider, man. See rider deh’. That’s what we’re up against, a culture that celebrates lawlessness.”
Fletcher outlined three types of riders in Jamaica: the weekend warriors, who ride for leisure, the necessity riders, such as delivery men and groundsmen, and the rebellious group, which poses the greatest threat to road safety.
The last set are the ones reflected in a 2022 study by the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), which revealed that 74 per cent of motorcyclists observed across five parishes were not wearing helmets, and a staggering 99 per cent of pillion riders also failed to wear one.
“What we often see from this group is just recklessness, downright desperation and ignorance,” Fletcher explained. “They don’t wear helmets. Sometimes they don’t even wear clothes... . If we target that group, we will make a significant impact.”
Fletcher also highlighted the common misconceptions passed down from rider to rider. “Me a ride from me a youth, me nuh need no code,” he quoted. “But overconfidence replaces skill.”
Another dangerous myth is that helmets reduce visibility and hearing.
“If I try to ride without one, my hearing and vision are far worse with the wind, dust, and truck noise,” Fletcher expressed.
This reality of reckless motorcycling was backed up by Colonel Daniel Pryce, director general of the ITA, who revealed disturbing statistics.
“As of June 19, 2025, we’ve had 49 motorcyclist fatalities and seven pillion rider deaths,” he said. “Of those 49 riders, 40 were not wearing helmets, and six of the seven pillions weren’t either. It’s consistent with last year, where 57 out of 64 riders who died weren’t wearing helmets.”
Pryce added, “The younger men are losing their lives on motorcycles so the 15 to 34 age group, which represents 63 per cent. Westmoreland, St Andrew, Hanover and St James are the four leading parishes and there was a similar situation in 2024.”
He noted that, despite the introduction of the Road Traffic Act of 2018 and updated 2022 regulations, actual enforcement remains a major issue.
For instance, according to Pryce, a learner should have a licensed motorcyclist travelling six metres behind them as the learner motorcyclist traverses the road. Posing a mind provoking question, he asked, “Can anybody from Jamaica tell me when was the last time we saw that?”
He received no response.
Additionally, the ITA has restructured its motorcycle testing standards as part of a regulatory reform, which now require candidates to read and write in English, demonstrate road code knowledge, complete an obstacle course, and pass a yard test, which are all administered at the 15 newly rebranded service hubs across the island.
However, language and literacy issues may interfere with this.
“Manuals and the training materials are in formal English and some riders struggle with comprehension, especially from the low literacy background and this is why I believe that practical and visual training are often more effective than written tests,” Fletcher said.
On the other hand, the ITA also has the responsibility of inspecting motorcycles for fitness, including checking on lights, horns, tires, and exhaust systems. Yet, Pryce admitted that infrastructure and outreach are still falling far behind, although just as important.
Relating to possible outreach, Fletcher said, “We need to stop talking about riders and start talking to them. Everyone’s on TikTok and Instagram. If we can’t reach them physically, we must reach them virtually.”
The ITA is taking steps in that direction through partnerships with organisations like HEART Trust/NSTA and the National Road Safety Council. Community interventions in hotspot parishes have included school visits, on-site helmet handovers, and engaging with bikers directly at tax offices and delivery hubs.
Meanwhile, Fletcher implored authorities to hold conversations rather than scold riders when the opportunity presents itself.
Additionally, he said, “Riding a motorcycle is seen by some as freedom, rebellion, or necessity. But I say this … if you do something and get away with it, you’re going to continue to do it.”
While enforcement is a must, he also implored riders to remain open-minded, saying that no amount of experience is too much.
“There is always something to learn. There is always a near miss or a near accident to learn from, to correct the next time you go on a ride.”