A 42-year-old man has passed away while a 31-year-old man is in critical condition at the Lautoka Hospital after the vehicle they were travelling in got into an accident in Nawai, Nadi.
Director of Traffic, Senior Superintendent of Police Mitieli Divuana says the 42-year-old man was a passenger in a car driven by a 34-year-old man.
It is alleged that the driver, who was drunk, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road, resulting in the accident.
SSP Divuana says the 31-year-old man was also a passenger who sustained serious injuries because of the accident.
He says the suspect has been questioned, and released as investigators await the post-mortem examination results.
SSP Divuana adds the tragic death is yet another reminder that drunk driving kills and adds that a few hours of enjoyment has resulted in a lifetime of regret.
The Director Traffic says road safety stakeholders are constantly issuing reminders about the dangers of drunk driving, yet they continue to arrest drivers.
From the 15th of December 2023 to the 31st of January, there were 149 drunk drive arrests, a worrying figure considering the threats to everyone’s safety.
SSP Divuana is pleading with drivers to understand that their actions not only threaten their own safety but also the safety of other innocent road users. The national road death toll currently stands at 10 compared to 16 for the same period last year.
