Drivers told to take extra precautions

 DRIVERS are urged to take extra precautions when travelling up and down the Tindom Hill section of the Highlands Highway, in Nipa-Kutubu district, Southern Highlands.

Former Nipa district administrator Robin Pip sounded the warning yesterday following a number of fatal accidents along the road involving large and small vehicles.

He said the section of the road deteriorated because of the constant movement of big trucks transporting heavy machinery and goods into the LNG Project sites in Hela.

Pip said so many lives had been lost and the road posed a major threat to villagers living beside it.

Pip said many trucks overturned on the section of the road and blocked it for several days.

He said last Wednesday a semi-trailer transporting pipe lines to the Komo Hide gas area, dropped off all the heavy pipes into the bushes and nearly killed people who were walking on the side of the road.

Late last month a company escort vehicle crashed into a house with people sleeping in it.

Pip said the family of seven escaped injury because the vehicle did not reach the bedroom where the family was.