In its bid to ensure road safety, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has launched a festive season campaign that is designed to shock road users through graphic images of actual accidents.

Launched at the LTA office in Valelevu, the campaign is themed “Stop Slaughter on Fiji Roads” and is in collaboration with the Fiji Police Force and the Accident Compensation Commission of Fiji.

“This campaign is designed specifically to be shocking and the reason for that is very clear. The sort of campaigns that have been running in the previous years have not really got the message through to the target,” LTA chief executive officer Samuel Simpson said.

“We make no apology for the use of very graphic images to portray the message, and the message is to stop killing people on our roads through careless driving, and irresponsible behaviour through speeding.

“We cannot contain this slaughter on our roads, it is just not sustainable, we had a situation yesterday (Monday) with the bus, two people are lying in the mortuary, we have another young person in hospital.”

Police director of traffic Senior Superintendent of Police Mahesh Mishra said most accidents in Fiji were due to careless and reckless individuals on the roads.

“One of the key concerns we have is the attitude of the drivers. How they act and behave, but in saying that, road safety is everyone’s responsibility,” he said.

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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