During the February 3rd sitting of Parliament, Minister responsible for Transport, Stephenson King, addressed the House on the recent increase in road collisions, underscoring the human cost behind the statistics and outlining steps being taken to strengthen road safety laws.
King told Members of Parliament that the figures reflected more than numbers on a page.
“These are not abstract figures or isolated incidents. They are deeply personal tragedies that remind us that every decision we take on road safety carries profound consequences and that our responsibility is ultimately to protect life and prevent others from experiencing such loss,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia, the minister extended condolences to those affected by traffic accidents.
“I wish to, on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia and as Minister with Responsibility for Transport, extend my deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in our road crashes and to all those who have been injured or otherwise affected by these tragic incidents,” King stated.
He added that no parliamentary statement could erase the pain being experienced by grieving families.
“I offer my sincere sympathy and wish you strength, comfort, and solace during this difficult time. No statement made in this honorable house can lessen your grief or restore what has been taken from you. Your loss weighs heavily on us, and it must weigh heavily on our national conscience,” he said.
King emphasized that the issue demanded a broader national response.
“Road safety is not merely a matter of transport or enforcement. It is a matter of life, loss, and shared responsibility. The evidence before us calls for sober reflection and decisive action,” he told the House.
Providing an overview of the data, the minister revealed a sharp increase in collisions.
“Analyses by the Department of Road Safety and Traffic Accident Investigations indicate that total vehicular collisions rose from 2,239 in 2024 to 2,995 in 2025. And I repeat, from 2,239 in 2024 to 2,995 in 2025,” he said.
In response to the trend, King announced that legislative reform is already underway.
“It is for this reason that the Department of the Division of Transport has commenced a comprehensive review of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act,” he explained.
According to the minister, the aim is to bring the law in line with present realities.
“This review is intended to modernize our legislation, close enforcement gaps, and ensure that penalties and protections are appropriate to today’s road conditions, technologies, and patterns of use,” King said.
He stressed that the initiative goes beyond minor legislative adjustments. “This review, Mr. Speaker, does not speak of today’s minor amendment. It’s an overall review which has already started on the launch of our road safety program last year,” he added.