‘Our drivers worst in the region’

PAPUA New Guinea has the highest road accident rate in the Western Pacific countries recording 4,000 road accidents each year, National Road Safety Council executive director Frank Ao Aku said.
Many of the accidents were due to poor driving attitudes, he said in Lae yesterday, where he is collecting data on traffic accidents.
Aku said that many drivers failed to understand road safety signs and vehicle signals.
“Other drivers learn and knew only how to drive but couldn’t read and understand the meanings of the signs and symbols,” he said.
He added the accidents were also caused by drink driving and speeding.
Another factor was that of defective vehicles and unlicensed drivers.
“There are also lots of unregistered vehicles,” Aku said.
“The latest inclusive driver error is that caused by using mobile phones while driving.”
Aku said that the NRSC was now working on how to improve road safety operations by compiling road accidents recorded between 2007 and this year.
Driver behaviour and attitude was the focus of the road operations because most drivers were not properly trained and tested, certified and recommended to set procedures and processes.