The Accident Compensation Commission of Fiji (ACCF) in the past six months had paid out $155,000 to victims of motorcycle accidents.

This was revealed by the commission’s chief executive officer Parvez Akbar during the Fiji Motorcyclists Association (FMA) Remembrance Day in Suva yesterday.

Mr Akbar said that amounts was for accidents that had occurred in the past four years.

“For fatal accident, a compensation payout is $75, 000 and for injuries it depends on the extent of the injury,” he said.

He said to date, $14 million had been paid out by the commission in compensation for motor vehicle, employment and school accidents.

While officiating at the event, Minister for Transport and motorcyclist Faiyaz Koya said the Fiji Motorcyclists Association had recorded seven fatalities and 10 serious life changing injuries as a result of motorcycle accidents on Fiji roads.

“It’s our target to reduce the fatalities and we want to reduce it further,” he said.

“Five common causes of fatalities on our roads are speeding, drunk driving, driver fatigue, pedestrians at fault and dangerous driving.

“As users of the road we need to follow the basic rules and alert other users on the road.”

Mr Koya said there were about 858 registered motorcyclists in Fiji and 20 per cent of which were registered with the Fiji Police Force and made up 0.7 per cent of the total registered vehicles on the road.

“Though they make a small number on the roads, they actually have the same rights and access on those roads,” he said.

“At the same time the drivers should be equally responsible as a driver or rider when on the road.”

Edited by Selita Bolanavanua

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