MORE than K200million is spent annually on road accidents by the Government of Papua New Guinea, according to the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) executive director Frank Aku.
Mr Aku said the number of road users was increasing and road safety measures needed more attention to reduce the number of road accidents.
The nationwide operation during the festive season is expected to start from Dec 10 to Jan 4.
Mr Aku held a briefing at the Police Department.
The Department of Transport will participate in the combined motor traffic law enforcement operation with the police later, as planned by the NRSC.
Issues discussed during the briefing highlighted the manpower strength, transport, logistics and monitoring of road users to ensure traffic rules were followed and penalties for traffic-rule breakers.
Mr Aku said: “We are doing this for the welfare of our people in maintaining law and order, and we want to make sure that they follow traffic rules.
“We are not to harass people but to work with them so that they enjoy the festive season safely.”
He said there would be another briefing, before the launch of the operation.
A mobile squad will be moving around, road blocks set up and roads monitored during the operation to control traffic.
It is to ensure that there are no drunk drivers and to check that traffic rules are being observed by road users.
About 100 inspectors and traffic police officers nationwide are expected to be involved in the operation.
An operation order from the Royal PNG Constabulary and Department of Transport stated that the social and economic drain from road accidents (over K200million annually) were from behaviour of individuals, ethnic groups, ethnic cultures and ignorance.
It also said this drain could be minimised, hence matters such as the monitoring of motor vehicles’ condition and the environmental conditions.
Mr Aku said the operation was going to be a lead-up to a planned nationwide forum next year, by all stakeholders of road safety.
“We all need proper coordination on the issue of road safety as there is one aim in the end.
“There has to be discipline on roads to make sure everyone complies with all safety requirements and we must really show what road safety is to the public,” he said.