Rampant road accidents could be due to drunk driving

Nkoranza (B/A), March 23, GNA - Nana Opoku Baah Bentu, immediate past Chairman of Nkoranza District Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, has attributed the increasing number of road accidents to drunkenness, over speeding and unnecessary overtaking on the part of drivers.

He emphasised the need for passengers to report drunken drivers as well as those who over speed or drive recklessly to the police to be dealt with accordingly.

Nana Baah, 73, who is the Sanaahene of Nkoranza Traditional Area and a transport owner, was sharing his experience as a driver with the Ghana News Agency at the weekend.

He said studies had revealed that in spite of the educational campaign to drivers not to drink and drive and not to drive when drunk, some unscrupulous drivers would not adhere to such advice and cause accidents.

Nana Baah expressed concern about how some transport owners refused to maintain their vehicles, saying lack of maintenance also caused accidents.

He advised drivers whose owners refuse to maintain their vehicles not to risk operating such vehicles. The chief disclosed that he became a professional driver in 1952 and had never got involved in an accident, adding he drove commercial vehicles in London and never had a problem.

Nana Baah advised drivers to be very cautious while driving as any mistake on their part could claim innocent lives.

At the Nkoranza Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) station, Mr Anthony Akuma, a 57 year old driver, noted that most of the youthful drivers were "only concerned with making money and will therefore speed on the roads to make more 'turns' than their colleagues. Mr Kofi Adu, Nkoranza-Techiman PROTOA station master, called on his colleague station masters to be vigilant on drivers who operated by the road side without entering the main station as a number of such drivers were inexperienced and could cause accidents.

Meanwhile, authorities of the Transport Unions have been advised to organise regular workshops for drivers to keep them abreast with road regulations so they would be careful on the roads.