The Land Transport Amendment Bill 2025 has achieved unanimous approval in Parliament, marking a pivotal step towards enhancing road safety. This legislation introduces a new two-step provisional licensing system, categorized as P1 and P2, designed to better monitor drivers and ensure that responsible individuals progress towards full licensing.
Transport Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau highlighted the bill’s significance in the government’s ambitious goal to cut road fatalities by 50% between 2025 and 2029. The amendments empower the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to manage repeat offenses more effectively, fostering a culture of safe driving. Under this new framework, drivers must maintain a clean record during the P1 phase for about three years before advancing to P2, which is expected to encourage the development of safer driving habits.
Assistant Minister for Public Works and Transport, Naisa Tuinaceva, also voiced strong support for the bill, identifying it as a life-saving initiative that emphasizes the responsibility drivers have to protect others on the road. This notion of driving as a privilege reinforced with accountability is central to the bill’s ethos.
Moreover, there is a growing emphasis on improving driver education, including advocating for night driving lessons to better prepare new drivers for the challenges of operating vehicles after dark. Opposition Member Joseph Naidu pointed out that current training often neglects this essential skill, potentially leaving many novices ill-equipped for nighttime driving hazards.
The overarching aim of the Land Transport Amendment Bill 2025 is to create a safer driving environment and establish responsible practices among provisional license holders. With the proactive measures enacted through this bill and the LTA’s commitment to maintaining zero tolerance for reckless driving, there is optimism for a future characterized by improved road safety in Fiji. These legislative changes represent a significant advancement towards fostering a culture of accountability, ultimately working to decrease traffic accidents and improve safety for all road users.
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