[Source: Reuters]

The Land Transport Authority and the Fiji Police Force have issued a total of 182,615 Traffic Infringement Notices in the first seven months of this year.

Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau says a total of 2,868 TINS have been issued for e-ticketing offences and 376 for overloading.

Ro Filipe further states that 179,371 TINs have been issued for general offences, which include speeding, red light speed camera violations, police TINs, and driver behaviour.

Ro Filipe, while responding to a written question in Parliament by Independent MP Naisa Tuinaceva, says these figures reflect the ongoing enforcement of traffic laws and regulations aimed at curbing unsafe driving practices.

He adds that it is imperative to continue strengthening enforcement mechanisms and ensuring that all drivers adhere to traffic rules to reduce accidents, fatalities, and promote road safety.

Meanwhile, the Minister says that during this period, the LTA has experienced a concerning number of road accidents.

According to Ro Filipe, there have been a total of 30 reported road accidents during this period.

Regrettably, he says, these incidents have resulted in 31 fatalities.

For the same period last year, Fiji recorded 57 fatalities.

He says this statistic is 54 percent less compared to the same period last year.