Fiji school head urges speed humps after truck crash near students
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Calls for improved road safety are intensifying near Namaka Public School in Fiji after a recent truck accident.
- The school's head is urging authorities to install speed humps or cameras, citing concerns for students who walk to and from school.
- The incident has renewed worries about speeding motorists in the school zone, following a previous fatal crash nearby.
Concerns over road safety are mounting near Namaka Public School in Fiji, with calls for urgent action following a serious truck accident on the busy Namaka-Matintar Highway. The head of the school, Arvin Kumar, is appealing to authorities to implement traffic calming measures, such as speed humps or cameras, to prevent future tragedies.
The recent incident involved a truck that allegedly failed to stop in time, colliding with a parked vehicle just meters from the school grounds. Kumar expressed relief that the accident occurred outside of school hours, emphasizing the potential for a far worse outcome had children been crossing the road. He highlighted the vulnerability of the area, where many young students, accompanied by parents and grandparents, walk daily.
Kumar stressed the importance of drivers slowing down and adhering to road courtesy rules within the school zone. "We are just requesting that the drivers slow down and respect the school and the students," he stated. This latest accident amplifies long-standing concerns about road safety along the Namaka-Matintar drive, particularly after a young air hostess was killed in a crash in the vicinity just months prior.
The school community hopes that the installation of speed humps and cameras will effectively encourage drivers to reduce their speed, thereby creating a safer environment for the hundreds of students and families who frequent the area daily.
We are just requesting that the drivers slow down and respect the school and the students. And also they have to follow all the road courtesy rules; that is very, very important.
Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.