In Ghana, on average 1,800 persons are killed yearly, i.e., an average of four deaths daily. Pedestrian casualties in the country account for about 42% with 23% of these casualties being children below the age of 16; and these horrifying numbers keep rising.
Statistics also indicate that 90% of all road traffic crashes are caused by human error. Therefore, in order to redress this deplorable state of affairs, the role of the human driver must be accounted for.
The National Drivers’ Academy (NDA) is collaboration between the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Government Technical Training Centre (GTTC) and the Ministry of Transport (MoT). This academy was set up as a response by Government to show support and commitment to reducing crashes on our roads and to make our roads safer using driver education. The aforementioned stakeholders have engaged a2om International and Cranfield University to bring their expertise in driver behavior and training to this initiative under the Ghana Driver Education Programme. The NDA is fully government owned and therefore a non-profit making organization.
In effect the overall goal of the National Drivers Academy programme is to produce a commercial passenger and goods transport driver who knows, understands and appreciates the road and driving environment in relation to the driving task and behaviors/attitudes of other road-users especially the vulnerable and unprotected in traffic; as well as The construction and operation of the vehicle to such an extent that he can observe and react in a proper way to technical deficiencies.
They also aim to let the driver know the dangers inherent in road traffic situations, how to recognize them in time by critical observation and assessment, and the ability to react in a safe and professional manner to avoid crashes ; as well as the science and art of driving characterized by positive attitudes, professionalism and safe driving practices. In order to achieve this purpose for its, the NDA believes that in order to further enhance its message and get it across to drivers and pedestrians alike, it has employed the influence and high repute of Joy Fm’s Drive Time anchor, Nathaniel Kwabena Adisi popularly known as “Bola Ray” to be the face of all its national activities.
The National Drivers Academy is therefore outdooring Bola Ray as the national agency’s ambassador. As the face of the National Drivers’ Academy’s activities and operations, Bola Ray will act as a “Drive Responsibly” icon, engaging in various activities to encourage driver training and re-training using the NDA’s new and safer methods, as well as encourage safety on our roads. He will also help seek sponsorship from prospective donor and corporate institutions to facilitate the activities of the National Drivers Academy.
Bola Ray will be the NDA’s ambassador for a period of one year and is already speculating that he may actually extend it after the period, because of what he refers to as “his passion for the cause that the NDA is embarking on.”
Upon assuming this position, Bola Ray has pledged to do his very best to help create road safety awareness through seminars and others activities to be carried out in collaboration with the NDA.
In this regard, Bola Ray is also urging all corporate institutions whose businesses are inevitably affected by road accidents directly and indirectly to contribute a small quota of their profits through sponsorship to help facilitate all the activities of the NDA which is a non-profit government agency.
He stated that this is important because according to available statistics, The economic cost of road accidents to developing countries is at least $100 billion with 3 million people dying the world’s roads each year and road crashes killing more people than Malaria.
He also stated that a according to projections, annual deaths are forecast to rise to 1.9 million by 2020 and road accidents are currently the No.1 cause of death for young people worldwide. He however reiterated that road accidents are preventable, and the onus is on corporate organizations to do all they can to support the activities of the NDA since government is obviously limited in what they can do to help.
