New gadgets in road safety drive

SPEED detectors or radar guns will be used in the nationwide Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) “Road safety – It’s not a game” initiative.
Traffic police said last week although the law was not yet in place to sanction the use of radar guns, the speed detectors will be used in the initiative in conjunction with the Australian National Rugby League promotion.
The focus will be on PMV drivers to ensure they observe road safety regulations and the rules of the competition aimed at reducing accidents in the long-run.
MVIL officials would be tasked to operate the radar guns but only on PMV drivers who have entered the competition.
Traffic police deputy director Chief Insp Joe Goloki last Thursday said PNG needed the latest technology and a law in place to sanction the use of radar guns.
“PNG had bought a number of radar guns more than 10 years ago but could not use them because there was no law to sanction their use in the country.
“If the country is serious about reducing the number of road accidents, then we should enact laws to use modern technology, like radar guns and breathalysers, to catch errant drivers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the task force that put together the PNG global road safety report for the World Health Organisation, of which traffic police is a member, is in the process of preparing a draft submission to be submitted to the National Executive Council to sanction the use of radar guns by the police to detect speeding drivers.
The task force includes the department of transport, department of health, St John, National Road Safety Authority, traffic police, MVIL and other stakeholders.