Felix Chaudhary 
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Fiji has cancelled the licences of eight drivers involved in fatal accidents.
This included the 21-year-old truck driver involved in the tragic accident last week along Princes Road in Tacirua that claimed the life of a 13-year-old student.
LTA Chief Executive Officer Irimaia Rokosawa said he was also in discussions with the Fiji Police Force to criminalise repeat traffic offenders and to revise other traffic-related regulations.
He says under Section 268(a) of the Crimes Act 2009, it is a summary offence to drive a vehicle in a rash or negligent manner that endangers human life or is likely to cause harm to others. The penalty for such an offence is imprisonment for up to two years.
“The 21-year-old truck driver – who held an expired Learners Permit at the time of the incident in Tacirua – has had his licence cancelled for five years because of the severity of the accident,” he said.
“This is a lesson for all those with driver licences – whether it’s a Learners Permit, Provisional or Full Licence holders – you must uphold and adhere to your licence conditions. When you choose to disregard these road safety rules and regulations, you choose to endanger the lives of all road users.
“The Authority has zero tolerance for reckless driving. This swift action to cancel the driver licence for the 21-year-old individual sends a clear message that we will not hesitate to act against those who endanger lives on our roads.”
