Praneeta Prakash 
[File Photo]
The Police Force has implemented significant changes to its traffic operations in order to combat the rising number of road fatalities.
Director Traffic SSP Mitieli Divuana says currently, the number of road fatalities stands at 60, a stark contrast to the 23 cases recorded during the same period last year.
He says they have been allocated funding to carry out road safety awareness in the 2023/2024 financial year.
The Director Traffic says they hope to reduce the number of accidents and ultimately save lives by educating the public about the importance of road safety.
[File Photo]
SSP Divuana says they are conducting a joint operation with the Land Transport Authority to crack down on reckless driving behaviours.
He says speeding remains one of the major causes of road fatalities and 18 speed detection devices are currently being used by police highway patrol vehicles.
He adds they continue to conduct breathalyzer test.
“On the use of breathalyzer equipment, from January 2023 until July 2023 there were a total of 365 drivers being arrested for drunk and drive compared to 439 in the same period last year. The total number of drivers arrested last year was 1203 drivers. To reduce the possibilities, police officers are currently using the roadside device. The devices accurately measures the breath alcohol and translate it to blood alcohol level.”
The total road fatality stood at 44 last year.
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