An executive member of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) is among six people who died in motor vehicle crashes over the Independence weekend.

Novia Reid, 43, died after the car she was driving was hit by a Toyota Altezza along the Melrose Bypass in Manchester.

Reid was a senior teacher at the Hatfield All Age School in the parish.

JTA General Secretary, Dr. Adolph Cameron says Reid was as a valuable member of the association.

Meanwhile, director of the Road Safety Unit, Kenute Hare, says two motorcyclists were among the five other traffic crash victims.

He is raising concern about the behaviour of motorcyclists particularly in Westmoreland and Hanover where motorbikes are being used as public passenger vehicles.

Hare reports that 156 people have died on the country’s roadways since the start of the year compared with 192 for the similar period in 2011.

He also says the Road Safety Unit is still working to keep the number of road deaths below the 300 mark this year.

Hare is looking forward to the modernization of the Road Traffic Act which he believes will help address deviant behaviour on the roads.

radio@gleanerjm.com