Motor accidents claim 35 lives in six months in UER

Thirty five deaths were recorded from 103 road traffic accidents in the Upper East Region from January to June 2012, involving 70 vehicles and 33 motor bicycles.

ASP Daniel Teye, Upper East Regional Commander of MTTU, has described the trend as alarming and a total disregard for motor traffic rules and called for concerted efforts of stakeholders to bring discipline in the region.

He said some of the accidents were as a result of sheer human error and negligence which could have been avoided if road users observed the traffic rules adding that “ if everyone took responsibility for his or her actions, road accidents could be reduced.

He said January to December 2011 recorded 55 death involving 108 vehicles and 83 motor bicycles.

ASP Teye made these revelations at the second quarter review meeting on Thursday, organised by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) for stakeholders.

The stakeholders reviewed identified problems of the first quarter which included, stakeholder commitment, haphazard placement of signposts at certain junctions, commercial activities hampering traffic, over speeding, traffic control, over loading, rickety nature of some commercial vehicles and reckless riding especially, unregistered motor bikers.

“It was observed that some road intersections in the Region had become death traps “he said.

Mr. Alebinde Mohammed, Regional Manager, NRSC called on stakeholders and institutions to ensure that they played their roles effectively to bring sanity to the region.

Mr. Dennis Yeribu, planning Officer of NRSC, reported on activities carried within the quarter, which included outreach programmes to some districts to educate communities on road use and pedestrians on observation of traffic rules.

The stakeholders agreed at the end of the meeting that education should be stepped up for drivers, pedestrians and stakeholders on road use and also measures be put in place by the Police to enforce laws on vehicles that overload and drivers who drive drunk.

A decision to educate riders of motor cycles attached to a cart, to stop using them for picking passengers and over loading was also discussed.**