Non-compliance with road safety regulations, primary cause of road crashes - NRSA

Non-compliance with road safety regulations on the part of road users was the major cause of accidents, according to a preliminary investigation by the National Road Safety Authority into some road crashes.

The Authority entreated all drivers to always check their blind spots before driving off, avoid drink driving, over speeding and wrongful overtaking to avoid needless road crashes in the country.

Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, Director General of the Authority, said this at the inauguration of the Takoradi Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority Regional office and the unveiling of a National Road Safety "Arrive Alive" campaign.

The campaign is one of many other programmes in the transportation space aimed at helping to mitigate the frequent occurrence of road traffic crashes and its resultant fatalities and injuries in the country.

The campaign also involved the media in producing road safety commercials, documentaries, in-studio and field coverage, advocacy and enforcement, panel discussions, and outreaches in the regions, districts and communities.

The third quarter of this year has seen an upsurge in road traffic crashes, particularly disturbing is the crashes that occurred a few weeks ago which claimed many lives, injuries and properties.

She said these occurrences called for constructive national conversations on the urgent need for better road user discipline and greater policy commitment in preventing the carnage on the roads.

From January to August in 2020, 9,205 crashes occurred, resulting in 1,585 deaths, 1,638 pedestrian knockdowns and 9,397 injuries involving 15,459 vehicles.

"These road traffic crashes have led to the current high incidence of fatalities and serious injuries that could have been avoided if caution had been exercised, "she said.

She urged pedestrians to always check their surroundings when on the road, and look out for safe crossing facilities like pedestrian crossing points or footbridges when crossing the road to ensure their safety.

Mrs Obiri-Yeboah stated that road transport remained the primary mode of transportation in Ghana. Safety on our roads has become a key challenge in the country, though road traffic crashes and their resultant casualties are preventable.

She said for the past years, the country had serious resource challenges, capacity constraints and low level of commitment from duty bearers.

It is in response to these challenges that the government passed the National Road Safety Authority Act, 2019 (Act 993) to protect lives and enhance its mandate in promoting, coordinating and regulating activities related to road safety.

"As we prepare for the 2020 Election and Christmas season, we reiterate our earnest appeal to politicians and the general public to join the advocacy for discipline on the part of road users, including the wearing of crash helmets and seatbelts, avoiding needless manoeuvring by motor riders, and packing people in buckets of pickups, "she said.