THE EDITOR, Sir:

THERE IS a section of the North Coast Highway, around a corner leaving the Duncans bypass and heading towards Montego Bay, where there are frequent accidents.

Although most of these accidents are due to speeding, the road is dangerous mainly because it is not properly engineered. The corner I speak of has the outer section of the curve being at a lower level than the inner section, and that in itself is an engineering flaw. All properly built roads require their corners to be sloped at an angle to overcome the tilting effect of the axle of the rotating tyres negotiating the turn. Sad to say, this particular corner, of which I speak, is sloped in the wrong direction. I have spoken to colleagues who travel this road frequently, and they have informed me that they have on occasions almost lost control of their vehicles around that particular corner! I have had two occasions where I felt the vehicle getting out of control, but was lucky to escape. Now that I know of the spot, I exercise extreme caution negotiating it.

On June 24, I passed that corner and noticed a bouquet at the exact spot where I witnessed the accident a couple of months ago. I stopped and asked a local resident about it and he told me that a 'BMW-man' died there in an accident after he lost control of his vehicle. This local resident also informed me that he knows of four persons being killed in accidents around that corner, and of a total of 27 accidents happening there - most of the times the vehicles overturning!

To address the incidence of accidents, the following actions need to be taken:

1. Have that section of theroadway rebuilt and properly sloped to correct the design flaw.

2. Post signs warning motorists to go slow, and

3. Post arrow signs indicating that a corner is being approached.

I hope the relevant road agency is taking measures to correct it.

I am, etc.,

HOWARD STONE

Spanish Town, St. Catherine