Govt. allows left-hand drive cars

By Seia Soloi 04 March 2017, 12:00AM

Left hand drive vehicles will soon be allowed back into the country.

This was confirmed by the Land Transport Authority’s (L.T.A) A.C.E.O. for Road Use Management, Tamaseugogo Tauiliili Leo Bartley.

He told the Weekend Observer that the law change becomes effective on 1 April 2017. 

“This will be on the day of the vehicle’s registration,” he said.

Tamaseugogo said there are strict conditions and rules to be followed.

He said the left hand drive vehicles could only be used as private vehicles.

The Ministry of Revenue through its Customs Department is in charge of the left-hand drive vehicles arriving in the country.

The A.C.E.O. said L.T.A would work with Customs to make sure bringing in left-hand drive vehicles is well monitored and secured.

He added that there is a quota of 100 left-hand drive vehicles per month. 

Once that is maxed out, members of the public will have to wait until the next month.

Left hand drive vehicles were banned from Samoa after the government changed the side of the road for Samoans to drive on in 2009.

Most of the left hand drive vehicles in Samoa are imported from American Samoa, Hawai’i and the United States.

By Seia Soloi 04 March 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>