3 months ago
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The Gleaner’s May 14, 2025 story, ‘PAHO/WHO, National Safety Council Donate Breathalysers’ influenced today’s article. It sparked two questions that life and non-life insurance companies, policymakers, the opposition party, religious and other opinion leaders often ignore.
Has alcohol and ganja, when used alone or in combination, contributed to the frequency and severity of motor vehicle crashes and, if so, to what extent? Also, are the policy responses to serious motor vehicle accidents, which have far-reaching social and economic impacts, the result of a grand plan or piecemeal reactions to the carnage on the nation’s roads?
The news report stated there has been a sharp uptick in fatal traffic crashes over the past four weeks. It pushed the number of people killed on the roads this year to 138 as of Friday, May 9. That count is incomplete since it excluded information on the injured.
The article, surprisingly, did not cite any data that linked the use of alcohol to motor vehicle accidents. Also, it did not include information about the number of motorists who were prosecuted for driving while under the influence.
In 2017, the Jamaica Constabulary Force reported conducting over 6,000 breathalyser tests, with only 14 motorists found to be above the legal alcohol limit. This low detection rate raised questions about the effectiveness of the programme. In 2015 the use of ganja was decriminalised.
It is therefore not unreasonable to assume, as has happened in the United States, that the motor vehicle accident statistics would have reflected this change.
Motor vehicle accident data indicates a ‘significant correlation between alcohol consumption, ganja use, and road traffic incidents’. Below is a sample of some research findings:
• A 2016 survey found that ‘approximately 65 per cent of Jamaican drivers reported current alcohol use. Among them, 18 per cent admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol – DUIA – in the past year. Over half (54.5 per cent) of these individuals were binge drinkers, and 41.5 per cent also reported driving under the influence of cannabis;
• The Jamaica Observer said a more recent snapshot study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, released in November 2024, indicated an increase in DUIA from 14.4 per cent in 2016 to 17.5 per cent;
• A 1991 pilot study found that 77.5 per cent of motor vehicle fatalities had evidence of alcohol intake, with 35.5 per cent exceeding the legal blood alcohol limit;
• A 2000 study reported that alcohol was present in 43 per cent of drivers involved in traffic accidents; and
• The World Health Organization’s Global Status Report on Road Safety indicated that nearly 20 per cent of road traffic deaths in Jamaica were attributable to DUIA.
Driving behaviour
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that affects the brain. It impairs judgment, reaction time, motor coordination, and decision-making as shown below:
• Reaction time: slower responses to hazards (e.g., braking or steering);
• Judgment: risk-taking increases (e.g., speeding, ignoring signals;
• Coordination: impaired motor control (e.g., swerving, poor lane-keeping);
•Vision: blurred or double vision, reduced peripheral awareness;
• Attention: easily distracted or fixated on a single task.
The risk of fatal crashes increases sharply with blood alcohol concentration levels and impairs driving significantly. The legal limit is typically 0.035 g/100 mL breath, or 0.08 g/100 mL blood, which is the same in many countries.
Cannabis affects the endocannabinoid system, a complex cell-signalling system found in all humans and many animals. It plays a key role in maintaining balance (homeostasis) in the body by regulating a variety of physiological and cognitive processes – including mood, pain, appetite, memory, sleep, and immune response.
Ganja impairs cognitive functions, attention, and perception. Its effects on driving behaviours are also summarised below:
• Reaction time: delayed responses especially in complex situations;
• Coordination: impaired hand-eye-foot coordination;
• Perception: distorted time/distance estimation; lane tracking errors;
• Judgment: more cautious or overly slow decisions (can cause problems in fast moving traffic);
• Attention: Divided attention and concentration suffer.
Drivers who use ganja may underestimate their impairment, and falsely believe they are driving safely. High doses or edible cannabis cause longer-lasting and less predictable effects.
When alcohol and ganja are used together, their effects are not just additive they are often multiplicative. This will lead to: a greater reduction in reaction time and coordination; an increased likelihood of severe crashes; and increased lane weaving, errors in speed control, and traffic signal violations.
The press statement about the recent handing over of breathalyser kits by the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization to the government to strengthen the enforcement capacity of police must be applauded. It is a move in the right direction.
However, it is an exaggeration to conclude that these devices alone will be a “major boost to the country’s efforts to reduce road traffic fatalities and injuries”. Other measures are also necessary. They include curtailing the combined use alcohol and ganja, using digital or electronic devices while driving and increasing the level of compliance with regulations regarding the wearing of seatbelts.
The combined effects of these measures will significantly reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads and the massive social and economic costs that result from motor vehicle crashes.
Cedric E. Stephens provides independent information and advice about the management of risks and insurance. For free information or counsel, write to: aegis@flowja.com or business@gleanerjm.com
English (US) ·