Irimaia Rokosawa

The Land Transport Authority will come down hard on public service vehicle drivers who continue to blatantly ignore road safety rules and risk the lives of pedestrians and other road users.

Acting Chief Executive Officer Irimaia Rokosawa’s comment comes following the recent spate of bus accidents.

Rokosawa says the Authority will not hesitate to take reckless and irresponsible drivers to task if they threaten public safety on the roads.

He says the Authority will continue to strengthen its focus and resources on driver licensing testing and issuance, increase road safety education and awareness and roadside enforcement; as well as vehicle inspections to counter the upsurge in road fatalities.

The Acting CEO says the LTA also plans to introduce the Provisional 1 and Provisional 2 categories for provisional drivers.

“So that’s why we are targeting two group of provisional holders, p One and P two, until you able to comply with the road safety rules and regulations. Then you get your promotions. If you start breaching in your P One, probably send you back to learners. Those are the new things that you’re coming in.”

Rokosawa states that noting the alarming trend in Group 2 driving license holders involved in accidents or road fatalities, he reiterated the need for the mandatory defensive driving course training for group 2 driver license holders.

He says LTA will be analyzing the driver traffic infringement notice history including the driving history of the applicant before approving the issuance of a higher class of driver’s license.

The Authority, he adds will focus on smart tactics by identifying high-risk areas and targeting black spots for safety related offences such as exceeding the speed limits, dangerous or careless driving, driving while using mobile phones, failure to wear seat belts, driving a PSV without a valid PSV permit and driving while under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.