The woman who was a victim in a tragic road accident at the weekend has been identified as 24 year old Salote Marama Vateitei. She was identified by her brother late yesterday afternoon.
The driver of the minivan who was also arrested yesterday in Suva after fleeing the scene of the accident of Saturday remains in custody as investigations continue.
Commissioner of police B.J.J Groenewald offered his condolences go out to the family of the victim and sympathized for the manner that they had to discover the tragic news through the media.
According to Mr. Groenewald their loss is indeed felt by all Fijians as everyone shared their concerns on knowing that a family was not aware that their loved one was a victim of what could have been an avoidable accident.
He also extended his gratitude and appreciation to members of the community and the media for their support in heeding the Fiji police force’s plea to try and locate the victim’s family.
The Fiji Police Force remains committed in minimizing fatal road accidents; however we need everyone’s support in attaining that goal. One life lost is one too many, and there needs to be a more collaborative approach if we are to save lives from being lost on our roads.
Statistics clearly show that 80% of all road accidents occur due to human factor. The tendency for motorists and pedestrians to make unwise or incorrect decisions because of their own unaccommodating attitude or disposition is the reason why we continue to record accidents and fatalities.
Both motorists and pedestrians cannot afford to be complacent as the impact of bad decisions can have a negative impact on other road users.
All efforts are being put in by the Fiji Police force officers in raising awareness on being safe and having respect for all road users, but at the end of the day it is the decision you make that can ultimately determine your fate.
The police will continue to work in partnership with other government departments, road safety stakeholders and community organizations to make Fiji a safer place for road users.
MEDIA RELEASE