Cops investigating claims about who went through on red
Police are saying that the fatal accident at the intersection of the road into Richmond Estate and the North Coast Highway is yet another pointer for the need to urgently change the speed limit in the area to 50 KMH, down from the present 80 KMH. Police are investigating the fatal traffic crash at the entrance to Richmond Estate on the Richmond/Llandovery stretch of the North Coast Highway, St Ann, Thursday, November 21. Dead is 64-year-old Carmen Chutkan, of Almond Drive, Richmond Estate, St Ann. Mrs Chutkan’s husband, Harry, was treated at hospital and released.
INTERSECTION
Reports are that Mrs Chutkan was at the wheel of a Toyota Rav 4 that was exiting the estate when a truck, travelling west, toward Runaway Bay rammed into the vehicle. The intersection is controlled by traffic lights. Police reports are that a motorist who said he was an eyewitness said the truck went through the light on red. However, the truck driver who has not been named is reporting that he went through on green. Mrs Chutkan, the driver, and her husband who was a passenger, were taken to the nearby St Ann’s Bay Hospital. However, because of the nature of her injuries, Mrs Chutkan was transferred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Montego Bay, where she died Friday morning.
CHANGE SPEED LIMIT
Mr Chutkan was treated and released Friday. The St Ann traffic police say they have already collected statements from the truck driver as part of their investigations. Meantime traffic police are pointing out that there have been several accidents on the stretch between the Shaz service station, near the Priory intersection and Laughlands. They argue that it is foolish to have traffic lights at an intersection of a main road where the speed limit is 80 KMH. Police say the speeding that takes place with vehicles at or even slightly above the speed limit makes it difficult for a motorist, especially one driving a heavy vehicle to brake and stop when the light comes on, if the vehicle is close to the intersection. Meanwhile there continues to be complaints that drivers of buses, especially those travelling between Ocho Rios and Brown’s Town routinely run the light at the intersection, often going around other vehicles that have stopped. Police have made several requests of the National Works Agency which has final say over the speeds allowed on the roadway, to cut the speed limit. However, no action has been taken.
