SUVA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Around 39,616 drivers in Fiji have been booked for speeding since Jan. 1 this year and speeding continues to be the leading cause of road fatalities in the island nation, a statement issued by the Fijian police said on Tuesday.

The statement said there was an urgent need for drivers to change their attitude towards speeding.

The road death toll in the island nation stands at 46 compared to 41 during the same period last year and 22 of which deaths were attributed to speeding.

Drunk driving is also a concern in Fiji as it is the second highest cause of road fatalities this year.

Police said besides drivers, pedestrians are also the cause of accidents. Four out of 46 deaths this year were linked to pedestrians being at fault.

Of the 46 road fatalities, three were caused by fatigue driving which claimed lives.

According to Fiji's Land Transport Authority, motor vehicle registrations have been growing significantly in Fiji over the last few years with an average growth of 9 percent from 2015 to 2016.

The total number of valid vehicles in Fiji in December 2016 was 110,763, and 72 percent were private vehicles, followed by 16 percent commercial vehicles and 10 percent public service vehicles.