More women are losing their husbands through road accidents - Road Minister

The Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has cautioned drivers, especially the men, to be more careful when driving to avert road accidents as many women are losing their husbands.

He revealed that out of 100 road accidents recorded, only two involvle female drivers because women are mostly patient when driving.

He pleaded with men to take all the necessary precautions when driving.

Addressing stakeholders at the launch of this year’s national road safety campaign dubbed ‘Arrive Alive’ or ‘Kodru Dwodwoo’, in Takoradi the Minister said “out of 100 road accidents, only two will be women drivers. The remaining 98 are men because women are so patient when they are driving. It is hard to see a woman drunk and driving. When you drink and drive, you will perish on the road. So, please, let us be careful when we hit the road.”

He added that women make up the majority of Ghana’s population, hence, more men dying in road accidents mean more women won’t get husbands to start families with.

“A lot of women are losing their husbands as a result of road accidents. Now, we have few men around and so I will plead with you guys to be cautious on the road so that you will continue to live, marry the women and take good care of them for the country to benefit from you. But if you drive carelessly and get involved in an accident and don’t return home, the women will no longer get men to marry for them to start producing children.”

He also said Ghana has over the last couple of years lost almost 10% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through road accidents.

Statistics from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) indicate that road traffic accidents cost the nation 1.6% of GDP annually, which translates into about US$165 million annually.

There has been an upsurge in roads accident in the country for some time now which have recorded deaths and injuries.

The very recent one happened on Saturday on the Kumasi-Techiman Highway, resulting in the death of three people and over 19 individuals injured.

The accident occurred when a KIA bus carrying 22 persons grazed a DAF articulated truck killing a 45-year-old man in the process.