TAXI operators in Labasa have expressed their concerns over careless pedestrians who disregard traffic rules at peak hours.
Taxidriver Mahend Prasad said: "If Labasa was Suva, half the population would have died just by road accidents given the way careless pedestrians have a mind of their own when using the road."
Labasa Taxi Union Secretary Sujit Kumar Sharma said the issue was aired numerously with the relevant authorities but nothing was being done about it.
"The Town Council needs to facilitate the town with adequate amount of crossing so that people stop using the excuse of crossing anyhow because of the lack of proper crossing places available," he said.
"I think police need to crack down more on jay walkers as Labasa Town is rife with it."
Labasa and Savusavu special administrator Vijay Chand said they were aware of the issue and they were in a consultation process with stakeholders before finalising spots in town to construct foot crossings.
Land Transport Authority spokesman Alfred Wiliame said plans were in progress to recruit more road marshals in the Northern Division to monitor pedestrians. "There's lack of road marshals in the north and we're on the verge of recruiting officers to monitor pedestrians in Labasa," he said.