420,000 deaths caused by heavy vehicle accidents: Study

An Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation study found that 420,000 deaths were caused by heavy vehicle accidents around the region in recent years.

The 10th APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting, in Port Moresby on 9-13 October, will provide the opportunity to advance transportation issues that are of great consequence to the Nation and to the APEC Region.

Minister for Transportation & Infrastructure, Malakai Tabar, says policy measures being advanced at this APEC meeting include a framework for heavy vehicle safety.

“This is an APEC project that is developing practical measures to reduce road-deaths from transport accidents, and this is an important issue for Papua New Guinea where too many women, children and men die on our roads.

“This project to reduce the death-toll was approved at the 42nd APEC Transportation Working Group meeting in Papua New Guinea earlier this year.

“In PNG and around the region, we are working to deal with factors that include overloading, poor vehicle road worthiness and infrastructure issues.

“This will have an immediate impact on saving lives in Papua New Guinea and around the region.”

The Minister said other initiatives include attracting private investment to transportation infrastructure through Public-Private Partnerships and enhancing sea and aviation connectivity between our countries.

“APEC is also very active in promoting cruise ship visits to ports within the APEC region, and this has great importance to Papua New Guinea where there is a great market for expanding the number of cruise ships visiting our ports.”

The APEC is a regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.

APEC's 21 members aim to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.

(Two lives were lost after a heavy dump truck overturned, crushing a utility vehicle at the Konedobu roundabout in Port Moresby last week)

Author: 
Press release