Running a red light might save you a few minutes, but it could cost you or someone else their life, Land Transport Authority of Fiji (LTA) Acting CEO, Irimaia Rokosawa, says as he urges motorists to obey traffic lights.
The lights he said are there to help control the flow of traffic in an orderly and safe manner.
“As part of the process of getting your driver’s license, you are required to learn and follow the road code, which includes obeying traffic light signals. Yet, it is becoming increasingly common to see drivers try to run red lights, which is very disappointing,” said Rokosawa.
“It is selfish and irresponsible, and by doing this, you are endangering the lives of everyone around you, especially pedestrians who are more vulnerable to harm in such cases.”
Running a red light is also more likely to cause significant injury than other types of accidents, Rokosawa said.
“When you run a red light, you are travelling at a high speed through the intersection, where, unfortunately, so are the drivers in the crossing traffic following the green light. Additionally, these accidents at intersections usually result in angular collisions, as one car hits one side of the other, which often cause severe injuries and in some cases, fatalities to the occupants of the car hit on its side.
“Unlike the fronts and rears of most cars, there are no ‘crumple zones’ on the sides of cars to absorb impact as effectively. Very little separates the driver and passengers from the source of a side impact, increasing the likelihood that they will experience severe injury or even death.”
Rokosawa is pleading with drivers to travel at reasonable speeds, pay attention to the flow of traffic around them, and when they are about to move through an intersection, that they make sure it is clear before they proceed.
LTA reminds motorists and all road users to continue following the road safety rules and keep Fijian roads safe for all travellers.
