Motorists in Fiji who violate road regulations will face stricter penalties as authorities strive to tackle a rising road safety crisis that resulted in 83 fatalities last year, the highest on record. Land Transport Authority Chief Executive Irimaia Rokosawa announced that measures including increased fines, enhanced speed camera usage, and more rigorous licensing rules are being implemented in response to this alarming trend.
Recent statistics highlighted by the Fiji Police Force at the National Transport Infrastructure Consultative Forum reveal a concerning rise in fatalities, up from 66 in the previous year. Rokosawa underscored that speeding remains the leading cause of fatal accidents, indicating a pressing need for more robust enforcement technologies.
The Police Commissioner, Rusiate Tudravu, noted that dangerous driving behaviors persist despite ongoing public awareness campaigns. He emphasized that the most common traffic offenses include speeding and reckless driving, urging drivers to be more mindful of their actions on the road.
To improve compliance, authorities have found that while static speed cameras have succeeded in certain locations, many drivers tend to disregard speed limits in areas without such monitoring. This behavior has prompted the Land Transport Authority to expand its enforcement toolkit, which now includes portable speed cameras and revised licensing guidelines. These changes aim to enforce longer penalization durations for provisional licenses as well as heightened penalties for repeat offenders.
Rokosawa remarked that the previous penalties were not sufficiently deterring dangerous driving, likening them to “an occupational hazard.” Hence, the government has endorsed increased fines across all speeding categories in hopes of changing driver behavior for the better.
Despite these tightening measures, authorities stress that enforcement alone is not a panacea for the mortality crisis on roads. They warn that without drivers taking ownership of their actions and adhering to road laws, the risk of further tragedies will linger. This multifaceted approach underscores a commitment to improving road safety while fostering a culture of responsibility among all motorists, which is essential for reducing road fatalities.