A fatal accident was reported along the back of Salamanda street on Thursday morning.
The driver of a five door a hired vehicle was driving at high speed, while under the influence of alcohol when he ran off the road.
The car crashed into two Bugandi Seconday Grade 11 students at about between 9.30am and 10am.
The two students, one male and a female were walking on the foot path at the time of the incident.
The boy was killed from the impact while the girl was last reported to be in a coma. From initial Police reports, the driver of the vehicle who is from AROB, was heavily intoxicated from alcohol and had also initially caused a minor accident along 3 Mile area as he was heading into town.
Police report that the occupants of the other vehicle tried to stop him so they could report to the nearest police station. However he sped off and went to Salamanda area where he was trying to get away from the complainants.
Police found that he was on high speed and tried to trick them by following the back road of Salamanda when he bumped into a bus belonging to a security company, whcih was parked beside the road. He then lost control of the vehilce, which spun to the opposite side of the road hitting the two students who were walking.
Lae Metropolitnat Police Commander Anthony Wagambie junior informed PNG Loop that traffic police have attended to the scene and he has also directed that this case be dealt with properly.
He adds that the onus is on Traffic Police to carry out proper investigations and get the Court files ready immediately. Wagambie futher condemned this act by the drunken driver, which he said has cut such young and innocent lives short.
The two students had done nothing wrong to deserve such fate. There has been an increase in road accidents from drivers under the influence of alcohol in Lae recently which Wagambie says, is not helped by the fact that the Traffic Police have no vehicle and rely on other units to assist them attend to Traffic accidents and conduct traffic accident investigations.
Wagambie futher states that the Units in Lae have been instructed to stop and check any vehicles whose driver and occupants are drinking alcohol while travelling.
However he adds that the police can do as much, but the onus is on the driver and occupants of the vehicle.
He called on drivers to practice Responsible drinking and dont drink and drive. He stressed that drivers must realise that a vehicle, is a killing machine, so when they get behind the steering wheel they are responsible for the lives of those who are with them and pedestrians and other road users.
Meanwhile, Wagambie has instructed his officers that anyone found drink driving or driving erratically will be arrested, detained and police bail will be increased from the normal rate. In this way he hopes he can deter the drivers from unsafe practices.