Be safety conscious, Matane says

 GRAND Chief Sir Paulias Matane has urged people to be aware of the rise in the number of motor vehicle accidents and exercise more responsibility on the road.

He said this on Wednesday in Kokopo during the launching of the Motor Vehicles Insurance Ltd (MVIL) “Never forget road safety” awareness campaign.

MVIL said from 2008 to 2012, the number of motor vehicles registered through its offices nationwide grew from 70,354 to 97,226.

And the number of road accidents reported grew from 500 to 900.

Sir Paulias said the figures were alarming and urged motorists to practise road safety.

“Each of us has only one life and we must look after that life. You can only welcome death if you are old,” he said.

“Many in PNG die young because they do not take care of themselves and are reckless drivers. So hearing, remembering and following what MVIL is advocating is important to ensure you take care of your vehicle and your life.”

Sir Paulias thanked MVIL for promoting road safety, especially at a time when there were many deaths from road accidents.

Team leader of the Kokopo MVIL branch, Jenny Raia, said the number of fatal road accidents would continue to grow unless everyone took preventative measures.