Speeding, failure to use seat belts and failure to produce driver licence continue to top the list of traffic offences on our roads this festive season.
These offences among others were intercepted and identified during the Land Transport Authority and Fiji Police Force’s joint enforcement operations currently underway around the country.
LTA acting chief executive, Irimaia Rokosawa said the Authority is deeply concerned that road safety messages on the dangers of speeding and compliance of road safety regulations continued to fall on deaf ears.
He said these traffic offences could easily be avoided if all road users practised responsible driving behaviours and adhered to road safety rules to curb the alarming number of road fatalities this year – 72 fatalities so far this year compared to 38 for the same period last year.
“Despite the collaborative efforts of the Land Transport Authority and the Fiji Police Force to curb unsafe driving behaviour during the festive season, speeding continues to reign as the top traffic offense on our roads,” Rokosawa said.
Since the initiation of the LTA-Fiji Police Force joint enforcement operations, more than 1150 traffic offences have been recorded so far for the period 24 November 2023 to 1 December 2023 – 190 offences were attributed to speeding alone during this period, 71 offences for failure to use seat belts and 60 for failure to produce driver licence.
Other traffic offences for this period included careless driving, driving a motor vehicle without a driver licence, driving a motor vehicle with an expired driver licence, illegal operations, excess passengers, use of mobile communication while driving and other running offences such as drink driving, inconsiderate driving and illegal parking.
Rokosawa said the Authority would continue to work closely with stakeholders and the Police to crackdown on reckless driving habits on our roads.
He said LTA would also continue with its road safety awareness programmes and enforcement operations to reduce the number of road fatalities moving into the New Year.
“The LTA and the Fiji Police Force joined forces in an effort to ensure road safety during the festive season, a time when increased traffic and celebratory activities often lead to a higher incidence of road accidents.”
“The goal is to crack down on reckless driving behaviours and enforce stricter penalties to deter motorists from violating traffic rules,” he said.
“Despite intensified efforts, speeding remains a prevalent issue, contributing to a significant portion of the recorded offences.”
“This alarming statistic underscores the need for continued vigilance and awareness among motorists regarding the dangers of speeding.”
