Headline: Fiji’s LTA launches learner-driver program as speeding remains top road fatality killer
The Land Transport Authority has renewed its plea for motorists to slow down, stressing that speeding continues to be Fiji’s single biggest cause of road fatalities. The call comes as the LTA unveils a new Learner Driver Training Program during a ceremony at Suva Muslim College.
LTA Chief Executive Irimaia Rokosawa outlined the latest safety statistics, noting that over the past three years, speeding was linked to 44 percent of road deaths, while 13 percent resulted from pedestrian-related incidents and 43 percent from other driver behaviours such as dangerous overtaking and reckless driving. Despite a 16 percent drop in fatalities—from 78 in 2023 to 66 in 2024—the LTA chief warned that “we are still losing far too many lives, and speeding remains the main killer.”
The new training program is a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education, the Fiji Police Force, and the Driving School Association. It targets Year 12 and 13 students with the aim of developing safe road habits before they hit the road themselves. Rokosawa emphasized that the initiative is about more than licensing requirements; it is about instilling a culture of responsibility and respect for road rules from the start.
The LTA hopes that addressing speeding early will yield lasting changes and reduce the number of road tragedies across Fiji. The program aligns with ongoing enforcement actions that have underscored the agency’s zero-tolerance approach to reckless driving, including recent measures to enforce licensing rules and strengthen penalties for high-risk behaviors. As Fiji moves toward the festive season, authorities say every road user—drivers, passengers, and pedestrians—has a role to play in creating safer travel environments.
Editor’s notes:
– This initiative follows broader enforcement efforts and public safety campaigns by the LTA, which have included actions against drivers linked to fatal accidents and calls for stricter penalties for habitual offenders.
– Potential SEO keywords: Fiji road safety, LTA, speeding fatalities, learner driver training, road safety education, zero-tolerance reckless driving, road safety campaign, Suva.
– For future updates, consider linking to related reports on enforcement actions, seasonal road safety advisories, and statistical year-on-year fatality trends.
Summary: Fiji’s LTA is doubling down on both education and enforcement to curb speeding and other dangerous driving behaviours, with a new learner-driver program designed to ingrained safe habits early in life, in the hope of fewer tragedies on Fiji’s roads. A positive trend in fatalities from 2023 to 2024 offers cautious optimism that these measures may be bearing fruit as the festive season approaches.
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