Earlier speeding fines failed to change driver behaviour, prompting the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to impose tougher penalties as road deaths continue to rise.
LTA’s chief executive officer Irimaia Rokosawa said previous fines of $25, $40 and $60 did little to deter repeat offenders, with some motorists treating penalties as a routine expense rather than a serious consequence.
“When we activated the speed camera in Nakasi, there was a driver who sped up and down in the wee hours of the morning about eight times, because $25 for that particular driver was affordable and not a deterrent,” Mr Rokosawa said.
He described the former penalties as a “slap on the wrist”, allowing drivers to commit repeated offences without significant financial impact.
Speeding remains the leading contributor to fatal crashes in Fiji, accounting for between 40 and 50 per cent of total road fatalities over the past five years.
“The whole intent and objective of increasing speeding fines is because in the last five years speeding continues to be the major cost of fatality.”
As part of broader enforcement measures, speeding fines have now increased from $60 to $100. The authority has also invested heavily in static and portable speed cameras and plans to further strengthen deterrent efforts.
Road fatalities rose from 66 in 2024 to 83 in 2025, a 25 per cent increase in raw numbers, intensifying calls for stronger compliance and public awareness.
Mr Rokosawa stressed that the revised penalties are not about revenue collection, but about saving lives and improving safety on the nation’s roads.
