Driver fatigue poses a real threat to driver safety and the safety of all road users, and should not be taken lightly, says Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho.

Brigadier-General said this was often taken for granted that driver fatigue has contributed to road accidents and fatalities.

His comments came following a road accident in Yako outside Nadi on Wednesday morning where a driver in his 20’s allegedly fell off to sleep while driving a 12-wheeler truck along the Queen’s highway.

The driver escaped major injuries when the truck travelling towards Nadi veered off the road and tumbled. The truck’s cargo was scattered across the highway as the result of the accident. The incident happened between 4am- 5am.

The Commissioner said, “As we are well into the festive season and travel plans are already in place for social gatherings, we urge drivers to understand the importance of getting adequate rest before proceeding on any long journeys.”

He said the festive season campaign against poor road use behaviour was already underway between the Land Transport Authority of Fiji (LTA), the Fiji Police Force and the Accident Compensation Commission of Fiji (ACCF) with the theme; ‘Don’t live with regret! Choose to be safe – for you and your loved ones”.

The Commissioner of Police reiterated that Police or other road safety enforcement officers are not the enemy.

“We are simply looking out for everyone’s safety because accidents are avoidable.

“We want to prevent further loss of lives on our roads, and know that by making the right decisions, it can be achieved. The extra one or two hours of sleep can make a difference.

“If you’re feeling tired, pull over and take a quick nap and stop at the nearest community post or station and rest for a while. By choosing to make the wrong decision we don’t want people to live with regrets and the guilt of knowing a life was lost because you failed to take heed of the warning signs,” he added.

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