469 road accidents, 86 injuries, 8 deaths
THE number of road traffic accidents in Solomon Islands has increased over the last four years a survey conducted within 2013 to 2016 revealed.
The survey was conducted by the offices of Medical Statistics and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.
According to the survey, from 2013 to 2016 there were 469 accidents, 86 injuries and 8 deaths.
It said Honiara City alone recorded 392 accidents, 35 injuries and 5 deaths.
It said Malaita Province recorded the second highest with 29 accidents, 33 injuries and no death.
Guadalcanal Province recorded 28 accidents, 10 injuries and 3 deaths. Western Province recorded 16 accidents and 4 injuries and Makira Province 4 accidents and 1 injury.
The survey also revealed that accident rates continued to rise at approximately 10 to 20 per cent per annum.
This finding covers all the eight provincial centers in the country.
The survey findings were presented yesterday Chief Medical Statistician Ba’aki Kamoriki as the Selected Key Health Indicators for 2016 during the opening of the Joint Annual Performance Review Meeting 2017 at Heritage Park Hotel.
Kukum Traffic center senior police officer Hugo Maelasi earlier revealed that alcohol is the most common cause of traffic accidents nowadays.
He said sometimes there are about four traffic accidents during weekends in Honiara alone.
Recently Supervising Commissioner of Police, Juanita Matanga warned drivers that police will continue to carry out the random breathalyzer checks on weekends.
By TEDDY KAFO
