Drivers urged to use seat belts to save lives

Techiman(B/A), Feb. 02, GNA - Mr. Pierre Kwabena Ankomah, Techiman Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised drivers to use seat belts and complying with traffic regulations to save lives.

He regretted that some drivers had not adhered to the intensive road safety campaigns to reduce the spate of accidents on the roads. Mr.Ankomah gave the advice when some officials of the Sunyani Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of TUC visited Techiman.

He noted that some drivers had complied with the use of seat belts, others had refused and in some vehicles the seat belts were torn and could not be used.

The NCCE Municipal Director observed that most drivers who used the seat belts kept them neat while those to be used by passengers were dirty and made dirty marks on passengers who used them therefore, some passengers declined to use the seat belts.

Mr. Ankomah appealed to officials of the GPRTU and other transport organizations to let union guards or "bookmen" at the various lorry stations inspect the seat belts and other relevant parts of the vehicles and documents before they take off.

Mr. Richard Yaw Amankwaah, Secretary of the Sunyani Branch of the GPRTU deplored the attitude of recalcitrant drivers who failed to observe simple practical traffic regulations in spite of the regular education offered them through the media.

He said, in addition to the education on traffic regulations in general and the use of seat belts in particular given to drivers through the media, the union had been educating them directly, adding, "It is unfortunate that most of them were not even keeping the seat belts neat for their passengers to use."

Mr. Amankwaah gave the assurance that the union would ensure routine checks were conducted on vehicles not only on the use of seat belts but the tyres, other parts of the vehicles as well as documents to ensure they were up to date.