The National Road Safety Council (NRSC) of Jamaica has launched an inter-parish road safety competition where it will reward the parish with the biggest cut in road crashes and deaths at the end of 2009.

The move is an effort by the council to reduce the incidents of road deaths and crashes in the 14 parishes (zones) throughout the island, particularly involving pedestrians, motor cyclists and pedal cyclists.

The island has set a target of below 300 road deaths for 2009. The inland has already sufferred 241 road deaths since the start of 2009.

Under the rules of the competition, 2008 figures would be compared to 2009 figures over the approaching two-month period to decide the winners.

The prize will be determined by the specific needs of the winning parish at the end of the competion.