[File Photo]

The Land Transport Authority has suspended 13 driver licenses and cancelled 112 licenses between August last year and June this year.

LTA has counselled 58 drivers and issued 1,206 warning letters to drivers and 45 final warnings from show cause.

This is in comparison to the period August 1 2022 to July 31 2023 where LTA counselled 284 drivers, issued 2,217 warning letters to drivers and cancelled and suspended 42 driver licenses.

Transport Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau says the decrease in road fatalities can be attributed by several strategic initiatives undertaken by LTA and the Fiji Police Force.

These initiatives include 24-hour joint enforcement operations between LTA and Police.

He stresses that there is a vitality to create nationwide road safety education campaigns on the dangers of reckless driving, the benefits of safe driving practices and the responsibilities of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

The Minister adds that the Ministry is working with its relevant stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with road safety rules and standards, significantly reducing traffic violations and accidents.

He says that they will continue to support the ongoing initiatives to sustain the reduction in road fatalities, including implementing a multi-faceted approach that encompasses both enforcement and road safety education.

From January to April this year, LTA has conducted 225 school education and awareness impacting 41,169 students.

Nineteen public outreach programs impacting 4,137 people, 104 office outreach impacting 6,147 office workers.

A total of 128 driver roadside awareness impacting 11,991 drivers, 99 passenger roadside awareness impacting 24,380 passengers, 77 pedestrian roadside awareness impacting 8,085 pedestrians, 124 community outreach awareness impacting 30,919 people and 117 Defensive Driving Course awareness impacting 4,227 participants.

A total of 893 awareness activities were carried out with an impact of 131,055.

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