The Law, Unhealthy Drivers and Road Safety

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• Fulan Nima 12 years ago

  The roads in Ghana are only part of the problem of road deaths. the main problem is how people get to buy driving lisense. drivers who knew nothing about road safety are the major drivers in Ghana. what a shame.

  The roads in Ghana are only part of the problem of road deaths. the main problem is how people get to buy driving lisense. drivers who knew nothing about road safety are the major drivers in Ghana. what a shame.

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• EZEKIEL 12 years ago

  From the above,it becomes clear that in Ghana too ALL THE SENSIBLE LAWS are in the books!WHY DON'T WE ENFORCE THEM ??????

  From the above,it becomes clear that in Ghana too ALL THE SENSIBLE LAWS are in the books!WHY DON'T WE ENFORCE THEM ??????

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• monicuq 12 years ago

  Since 2003 many columist have written re Ghana road safety issues but never address with season head Road Safety Campaign in the media. Huma lives are not like a cat. You only live once .

  Since 2003 many columist have written re Ghana road safety issues but never address with season head Road Safety Campaign in the media. Huma lives are not like a cat. You only live once .

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• ADWEN 12 years ago

  Mr Attahene, your observation is right, we need to be PROACTIVE in addressing the myriad preventable problems we encounter in Ghana.
  The problems are compounded by people in leadership positions in Ghana who who do not know ...
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  Mr Attahene, your observation is right, we need to be PROACTIVE in addressing the myriad preventable problems we encounter in Ghana.
  The problems are compounded by people in leadership positions in Ghana who who do not know what goals and targets they should work towards. In other words, besides their salaries, they don't why their organisations exist, tne mission and purpose of their organisation.
  Moreover, there is no control mechanisms for the public and the tax payer, to hold these people accountable for non-performance.
  I wonder if the DVLA has a functional databse of all drivers and some basic profiles of all drivers and their vehicles, etc.
  Mr Attauahene, as Head of Communications at the National Road Safety Commission, you and your organisation can to a large extent lobby government and organisation like the DVLA to put in places some of the controls you highlighted in your article.
  We need to be veriou SERIOUS in implementing efficient and effective managerial controls systems to improve our standard of living in Ghana.

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• DAN 12 years ago

  required in usa for Cdl permit holders, Large truck drivers,pilots, railroad engineers are require to have medical exam every 2 years..The test includes eye ( both sight and color blindness) hearing. illness that will cause f ...
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  required in usa for Cdl permit holders, Large truck drivers,pilots, railroad engineers are require to have medical exam every 2 years..The test includes eye ( both sight and color blindness) hearing. illness that will cause fainting like diabetes.etc. All drivers have eye test (car and trucks)

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• EYEWITNESS 12 years ago

  It is exactly the same here in Europe,it is only in Ghana/africa that we don't have such medical exams before acquiring and renewal of a drivers permit/license,but it is composary here in france/europe,(AND NO BRIBING).l am ...
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  It is exactly the same here in Europe,it is only in Ghana/africa that we don't have such medical exams before acquiring and renewal of a drivers permit/license,but it is composary here in france/europe,(AND NO BRIBING).l am an articulator driver and l have just gone/passed a medical examination just for the renewal of my heavy truck drivers license,and l went through all that you stated,and we have in every 5 years a one week course for road safty with a testimonial to show to the police in all the EC countries each time we are being controled on our journey,and each time there is an accident,it is being blamed on 'non respect of road safty' either/or SPEED/ALCOHOL/HARD DRUG/CANABIS; and it goes with a very heavy financial penalty or imprisonment and withdrawal of license and ban from driving.
  Our Government should introduce the system of MEDICAL EXAMINATION before getting a drivers license to see if a driver is apte;and also serious control on the use of HARD DRUGS/ALCOHOL and SPEED.

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• Kwesi Addai 12 years ago

  Simple!!! come out of your ivory towers at RC and intensify public education road safety on TV, radio schools ects let kids know the dangers of roads, and safe driving, and they will grow up with.Enforce the law.

  Simple!!! come out of your ivory towers at RC and intensify public education road safety on TV, radio schools ects let kids know the dangers of roads, and safe driving, and they will grow up with.Enforce the law.

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• Kay. Tema 12 years ago

  then you need to commend the RC for initiating the teaching of road safety in schools. The issue is not as simple as you try to suggest. Education alone has not delivered positive attitude

  then you need to commend the RC for initiating the teaching of road safety in schools. The issue is not as simple as you try to suggest. Education alone has not delivered positive attitude

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• Chris Kwame Awuyah 12 years ago

  Mr Atuahene, I commend you on your statement on road safety which when implemented should help reduce the carnage on our roads. The conditions under which drivers work, the extended hours behind the wheel, the poor remunerati ...
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  Mr Atuahene, I commend you on your statement on road safety which when implemented should help reduce the carnage on our roads. The conditions under which drivers work, the extended hours behind the wheel, the poor remunerations and the health care of drivers are critical for road safety. Drivers ought to undertake medical examination to determine whether the sight and physical well being make them fit to operate commercial vehicles. Insurance policies must make such request mandatory in order to insure the vehicles. There must be minimum pay standards based on the license class and experience of the drivers. The GPRTU should be encouraged to create pension fund for commercial drivers.
  
  Equally critical for road safety is road condition. Often the roads are poorly marked. Since there is limited street lighting, the roads are dark at night. Road sighs at night in the cities and on the high ways would help road users navigate safely. Drivers in Ghana are notorious for using high lights, disregarding oncoming traffic. Perhaps, it is because the roads are poorly lit. Road signs would prepare drivers about road condition.
  
  There are busy crossings which have no traffic lights. Drivers take a chance to cross or merge into busy traffic. Such intersections have caused numerous accidents and needless loss of life and injury. Why not install traffic lights using solar energy at busy intersections? Min. of Transport, National Road Safety Commission and local authorities could work together to install traffic. There are toll collections on some roads. Some of the revenue could be used for this purpose.
  
  Mr. Atuahene references Pennsylvania, which like most cities in the USA, is serious about road safety. Part of the reason for that is to prevent legal sanctions. Citizens would sue commercial transport owners, companies, and the local, state, federal government if there is an accident resulting from lack of proper maintenance of vehicle, condition of road, driver error or driver's mental/physical health state.
  In Pennsylvania, there is a toll free number for drivers to call in about any condition that would jeopardize road use. Thus if you see a large pot hole you call in and usually the response time is within 24 hours. If you see a branch on the road or if the road is slippery, you call in and the response is immediate. In Ghana, we fill pot holes with sand only to see the erosion expand after a downpour.
  
  The police have not always helped due to their obsession with taking bribes from road users. As a safety measure, when the police are at check points they must display in a bold and visible manner their station number and name on a sign. There must be a national/regional telephone number for drivers to call if the cops extort money from them. The drivers could make the call once they have left the check point.
  
  Road safety also depends on passengers who must call safety officers/police if they see the driver operating the vehicle in a reckless manner. Passengers must also refuse to be seated in vehicles that are loaded beyond the maximum capacity. Road safety is a concern for all of us.

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• MENSAH 12 years ago

  GOD BLESS YOU.

  GOD BLESS YOU.

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• JOYCE 12 years ago

  THE ELDERS AND THE HEADS IN GHANA ARE WEAK THEY WILL COME AND SAY SO MANY THINGS SOMETIMES THEY WILL START SOME AND LEAVE IT HALFWAY IF YOU PLAN TO DO THINGS FOR YOUR COUNTRY YOU MUST PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN AND DO IT ...
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  THE ELDERS AND THE HEADS IN GHANA ARE WEAK THEY WILL COME AND SAY SO MANY THINGS SOMETIMES THEY WILL START SOME AND LEAVE IT HALFWAY IF YOU PLAN TO DO THINGS FOR YOUR COUNTRY YOU MUST PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN AND DO IT UNTIL YOU FINISH IT FLITHY THINGS LIVES IN FLITHY PLACES SOMETHING LIKE OKADA IS VERY DENGROUS SOMETIMES WHEN GO ON THE AND A WOMAN WITH A CHILD ON HER BACK NO HELMET ON HER HEAD NEITHER THE DRIVER MANY DRIVERS IN THE COUNTRY DONOT KNOW HOW TO READ OR WRITE HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN IN THIS MORDEN DAYS PEOPLE BUILDING ON SEWEAGES LOOK AT THE HEART OF ACCRA SELDOM AND GOMORAH EVERY YEAR THE ACCRA MAYOR WILL BRAG THAT HE IS CLEARING THAT PLACE BUT IS STILL STANDING WHAT I AM SAYING ELDERS IN GHANA WAKE UP AND PUT YOUR FEET DOWN AND AT LEAST FINISH ONE PROJECT

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• JOYCE 12 years ago

  DRIVERS WEATHER COMMERCIAL OR TROTRO TAXI THEY ALL NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL IN GHANA OLDER PEOPLE DONOT LIKE SCHOOL IN THE US IF DRIVE A TAXI AND WHERE RUDE ANYWAY PASSINGER YOUR LISENCE WILL BE PROVOKE FOR A WHILE ...
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  DRIVERS WEATHER COMMERCIAL OR TROTRO TAXI THEY ALL NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL IN GHANA OLDER PEOPLE DONOT LIKE SCHOOL IN THE US IF DRIVE A TAXI AND WHERE RUDE ANYWAY PASSINGER YOUR LISENCE WILL BE PROVOKE FOR A WHILE IN GHANA IS TAKE A BRIBE AND LET HIM GO KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE

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