Jamaica is recording encouraging progress in reducing road fatalities, with deaths trending below last year’s levels. But with more than 200 lives still lost on the nation’s roads since the start of 2026, motorists are being reminded that sustaining that progress will depend on the everyday decisions they make before getting behind the wheel.

Those decisions extend beyond behaviour while driving. Ensuring a vehicle is roadworthy, being fit to drive and planning a safe way home if you choose to drink are all part of the preparation that can contribute to safer journeys.

It was against this backdrop that Red Stripe staged its Guh Easy Pit Stop at MegaMart Waterloo last Saturday. The activation brought together automotive technicians and road safety partners to give motorists practical tools to act on those decisions, from complimentary vehicle checks to information on alternative transportation, insurance and responsible alcohol consumption.

Automotive technicians from Toyota Jamaica, KIA and Louis Industrial Garage (LIG) assessed vehicles for potential issues, while motorists were also invited to sign a personal commitment to Drink and Live Responsibly.

Daika Mitchell, Communications Manager at Red Stripe, said the Guh Easy campaign is rooted in Red Stripe’s longstanding commitment to encouraging responsible choices through its Drink & Live Responsibly platform.

“Guh Easy is a simple message, but an important one. Enjoy yourself, make responsible choices and make sure you have a plan to get home safely. Through Drink & Live Responsibly, we’ve consistently encouraged consumers to think ahead, and Guh Easy brings that message to life in a very practical way. Whether you’re choosing a designated driver, booking a taxi or deciding not to drive after drinking, the message is the same: Guh Easy, plan ahead and get home responsibly,” Mitchell said.

Roadworthiness starts with the basics

Vehicle roadworthiness was a key focus of the Pit Stop, with technicians encouraging motorists to pay attention to the early signs of mechanical problems rather than waiting until an issue becomes more serious.

Sanjae Brown, Senior Apprentice at Toyota Jamaica, encouraged motorists to become more familiar with their vehicles and not ignore changes in how they perform. “Your vehicle will usually give you signs when something is wrong. If you hear a sound you have never heard before, feel a vibration or notice that something is performing differently, do not ignore it. Get it checked,” Brown said.

Content creator Jaimie Dawkins was among the motorists who stopped at the Pit Stop to have his tyres checked. He said the experience reinforced the connection between maintaining a vehicle and taking personal responsibility for safety on the road.

“I enjoy cars, so I like knowing that mine is in good condition, but the Pit Stop was also a reminder that being responsible on the road starts before you touch the road,” Dawkins said.

Making safer choices easier

The activation reinforced a core Guh Easy message: if you plan to drink, plan how you’ll get home safely..

Partners helped translate that message into practical actions. Travelr Taxi highlighted accessible alternatives to driving after drinking, while BCIC Insurance and Intelligent Multimedia Ltd engaged motorists on vehicle preparedness and protection. RISE Life Management reinforced the responsible decision-making at the heart of the initiative, helping to connect individual choices with safer outcomes on Jamaica’s roads.Mitchell said the value of the Pit Stop was in bringing the right partners together to make responsible choices more accessible.

“Responsibility has to be practical. Through Guh Easy, we’re creating opportunities for people to access information, services and alternatives that can help them make safer choices. Each partner has a different role, but we are all working towards the same outcome: helping people Guh Easy and get home safely,” Mitchell said.

The Guh Easy Pit Stop forms part of Red Stripe’s ongoing Drink & Live Responsibly programme, which uses education, partnerships and practical interventions to encourage responsible consumption and help reduce alcohol-related harm.

For Red Stripe, Guh Easy is ultimately about making one message stick: enjoy responsibly, think ahead and make the choice that gets you and everyone else home safely.