Central Region tops in pedestrian deaths

Central Region leads in causing pedestrian deaths, says Mr Stephen Anokye, Regional Manager, Ghana Road Safety Commission.

Speaking at a Road Safety Education campaign at Apam, Mr Anokye said the Region led with 49.6 per cent in pedestrian deaths.

He said the Region was classified among four other regions with the highest accidents records in the country.

Mr Anokye said 326 accidents were recorded in the first quarter of this year as against 296 during the same period last year with 63 deaths as against 78 in 2011.

He advised drivers to be extra careful when approaching zebra crossings to prevent knocking down people crossing roads.

The Apam Police commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Lawrence Lumor said, 22 accidents were recorded on Apam-Winneba road this year with five deaths.

He noted that the energetic Ghanaians are being lost through road accidents, majority of which were caused through human error.

He said the police had intensified checking the use of mobile phones whilst driving, over-speeding, drunk driving and other activities which could cause accidents.

DSP Michael Jackson (Rtd), a member of the Commission urged drivers to abide by simple instructions to minimise carnage on the roads.

The Gomoa West Deputy Coordinating Director, Mr. Mohammed Sherif Musah asked drivers to be agents of change in reducing carnage on the roads.

He observed that, no amount of road safety education could reduce road accidents unless drivers decide to change their attitude towards driving.

“Driving is about life or death,” he pointed out and urged drivers to be mindful that lives of people in their vehicles were in their hands and that they owed it a duty to send them safely to their destinations.

Mr John Kow Aidoo, Regional Manager of Ghana Red Cross Society, took the participants through some First aid processes for accident victims.

He cautioned against pouring cold water on a person who had fallen into comma as a means to revive him or her; but instead the person should be covered with clothes or blankets to keep him or her warm.

Mr Aidoo said the first attention to such as person is to raise his or her head to open the air valve and then blow air through the nose into him or her.

The first aid man cautioned against the use of iodine or any other medical product to stop blood oozing from out of an accident victim.

He said bandage or a clean rag must be used to tie the wound before the victim is rush to the nearest health facility.

Mr John Coffie, Apam Branch Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union appealed to the Commission to organise periodic forums for drivers to refresh their minds on road safety regulations.**