Commercial drivers to take mandatory rest

Cape Coast, Oct.26, GNA- The Central and Western Regional Coordinator of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mr Thomas Bismark Boakye, on Thursday called on drivers, especially commercial drivers to make maximum use of rest stops on the highways to help curb accidents on the roads due to fatigue.

He expressed concern that although rest stops were mostly located at strategic places to enable drivers to stop and rest, they failed to patronize them.

Mr Boakye, who made the call at the launch of the Commission's "don't drive tired, break the drive, stay alive", programme, at Cape Coast, pointed out that tiredness and fatigue driving was the third cause of road accidents in the country.

He said henceforth, it would be made compulsory for all drivers plying between Cape Coast and Accra to stop and rest at Winneba junction, and from Accra to Cape Coast, at Mankessim, and urged all drivers to comply with the order to reduce the spate of road accident. He stressed that many of the accidents on the roads were due to tiredness and fatigue and asked drivers to ensure that they rest after driving for four hours and park their vehicles after eight hours of driving.

He said the educational programme was being launched nationwide and would continue until December this year, adding that stickers with the inscription "don't drive tired, break the drive, stay alive" would be posted on all vehicles to serve as reminders. Mr Boakye said in addition, giant billboards would be placed at vantage points, all geared towards making this year's Christmas accident free, and showed video clips on the effects of tired driving, and expressed concern about the behaviour of "floating drivers" who fail to rest in their haste to make more money.

Chief Superintendent Charles Oduro Botchwey, Central Regional Motor Commander of the Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU) for his part called on passengers to be alert and to stop drivers who look tired or sleepy whilst driving.

He stressed that most of the road accidents, could be prevented if drivers are disciplined and patient on the roads, but in turn urged drivers to report the conduct of passengers who harassed them and urged them to speed because they had deadlines to meet. Chief Superintendent Botchwey also called on vehicle owners not to demand too much sales from their drivers, adding that due to such demands, drivers force themselves to drive even when they are tired and weak resulting in fatal accidents.