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A crash survivor has made a passionate call to his countrymen to practise defensive driving, and has even argued that it is better to yield the right of way on the road than to be a victim of a collision.

Oraine Elliot made the call as he sat in a wheelchair and reflected on the day his world was turned upside down following a crash in St James last year.

"Sometimes when we think that we are right, we can just stop and let a person through. Just pull back. If I had just thought about my situation, and maybe if I had just stopped and give him a 'bly', then maybe this would not have happened to me," Elliot told THE STAR.

The St James native attended last Friday's launch of Grennell's 5K Run/Walk/Roll. The event will take place on August 17 in Kingston. Elliot, who is currently a patient at the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre in St Andrew, said that he was involved in a collision on August 25 last year, but it wasn't until two months later that he realised that he suffered a spinal cord injury.

On August 25 last year, while driving on the Rose Hall highway, he collided with a car that misjudged the distance and sent him crashing into a Hilux. Despite initially feeling fine and not seeking medical attention, Elliot soon experienced severe pain throughout his body and continued working, despite his discomfort.

Weeks later, while driving in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, his condition worsened, and he collapsed after exiting his car to check on one of the tyres. A passerby helped him, and he was eventually taken to the hospital. He did an MRI scan, which revealed significant spinal injuries.

"I did a surgery in January. I was losing motion, movement and strength; and when I did the surgery it actually got worse. I kept falling, and I lost mobility in my hands and feet," he said.

Elliot said when he came to the Sir John Golding Rehab in February, he could barely move and had to be carried on a stretcher.

"I can move my hands now, and I can stand now. I have to be grateful to God and the staff here at Sir John Golding."

The Road Safety Unit in the Island Traffic Authority said that as of July 31, some 222 persons have died as a result of crashes since the start of the year. However, the number of persons who have been injured as a result of crashes is unclear.

Last year, Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr, vice-president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, said $3.2 billion is spent yearly to treat road traffic victims at hospitals. He said that it costs an average $94,000 to care for one crash victim who was in a motor car, and $263,000 to provide care to a motorcycle crash victim.

Elliot, like many crash survivors, has lost his source of income due to his injuries. He is now advocating for a shift in driving behaviour among Jamaicans. Elliot believes that practising defensive driving can significantly reduce the number of road accidents and prevent the disruption of countless lives.

"We need to be mindful of others on the road. It's crucial to drive not just for ourselves, but for everyone else, too. I wish I had understood this sooner. Sometimes, it's best to take a moment and breathe easy," Elliot said.

Meanwhile, in his remarks delivered at the media launch of the Grennell's 5K Run/Walk/Roll, Health Minister Dr Cristopher Tufton said defensive driving helps to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents, thus alleviating the burden on the healthcare system.

"As a health system, our resources are already stretched from the high levels of NCDs and other medical issues affecting those on the island. As best as is possible, we need to conserve our medical resources by controlling the things that we can, such as road accidents," said Tufton.

Similarly, Alphanso Grennell, managing director at Grennell's Driver Safety Training & Services Ltd, stated that the need for organising a road safety 5K is to bring an awareness to the physical and emotional pain and suffering caused from motor vehicle crashes.

"My own experience of losing a brother in motor vehicle crash has propelled me in persevering with this event, given the little public support over the years. We will not stop until Jamaica becomes aware of the negative impact of crashes on families and individuals," said Grennell.