Volta Region records 100 road accidents between January-March 2009

Ho, March 25, GNA - Twenty people died in 100 road accidents recorded in the Volta Region between January and March 25, this year. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rose Bio-Atinga, Volta Regional Police Commander disclosed this at a meeting with road sector agencies and commercial drivers' unions on road accidents in the Region at Ho.

She said "All these deaths and accidents could have been avoided but for the carelessness of drivers and driving without observing the regulations that stipulated that drivers keep to 50 kilometres in towns and 10 kilometres in heavy build up areas". DCOP Bio-Atinga urged passengers to speak out against careless driving during the course of their journeys. "If you are in a vehicle and the driver is over-speeding, stop him, if he refuses call the police or any radio station and we would get the information. Or report him to the nearest police station or at the next police barrier," she said. DCOP Bio-Atinga observed that strictly speaking the road from Accra to Ho and Accra to Aflao and many such major roads in the Region were not highways because they had human settlements and activities along them.

This, she said required that drivers limited their speed to 50 kilometres on these roads to enable them take control of unforeseen situations when they occurred. DCOP Bio-Atinga said the police in the Region would from next week embark on a drive to educate drivers at lorry parks and enforce the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages in and around those places. She urged the various commercial drivers' unions to redeem their collective image by enforcing the observance of safety standards among their members.

"We pray the courts to deal drastically and expeditiously with culprits brought before them to serve as deterrent to other careless drivers," she said.

Mr Elvis Gbesemate, Volta Regional Co-ordinator of National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) said some measures would soon be taken including legislation to deal with the road accident menace in the country. He said with effect from April 6, this year, all commercial vehicles would be required to keep log books as a means to check the number of hours drivers drive continuously in a day. Mr Gbesemate said the menace of "floating drivers", drivers who did not belong to any commercial drivers unions, needed to be dealt with in the interest of road safety.

Mr John Arthur-Amissah, Ghana Highways Area Manager suggested that drivers' resource centres be established where drivers who flouted road safety regulations could be educated to appreciate the engineering aspect of road safety. He said many drivers were ignorant about the engineering aspect of roads, road signs and their vehicles which had caused many road accidents. Mr Moses Davor, Volta Regional Chairman of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) suggested an award scheme for drivers similar to farmers and teachers awards to promote excellence among commercial drivers. 25 March 09