NRSC, NADMO to clamp down on unauthorised speed ramps

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) among other stakeholders would soon begin an exercise to rid the Central Region of all unauthorised speed ramps.

According to the institutions, the rampant erection of speed ramps with virtually no road signs had contributed significantly to the increasing rate of road accidents in the Region.

Speaking in turns at a sensitisation programme for drivers in Cape Coast on Tuesday, they said unauthorised ramps increased emergency response time, caused damage to vehicles, and increased traffic noise.

Ms Linda Affotey-Annang, the Regional Director of NRSC, said the Commission had noted with grave concern the increasing number of unauthorized speed ramps and described the practice as illegal.

"Many communities erect such unauthorised speed ramps without prior notification to the appropriate agencies for approval resulting in avoidable lost of lives," she stated.

According to her, the unauthorized ramps in the form of trenches were very expensive to repair, and promised that the Commission would do all within its means to meet the safety needs of the communities.

She stressed the need for increased education on the dangers associated with erecting road ramps at illegal places and urged the media and other stakeholders to come on board to educate the public.

“We have to talk to the people that it is not good to have speed ramps at unauthorized places. Educating the people is very important therefore the media and the road commission have to come in to educate the public.”

Mr Appiah Mensah, Regional NADMO Director expressed utmost disgust about the wanton erection of speed ramps without regard to the safety of road users.

He enumerated about 19 and 50 ramps between Mankessim-Cape Coast and Assin Fosu-Cape Coast roads with varying sizes often with faded markings and non-existing road signs to alert drivers.

Drivers who were unable to see or anticipate speed ramps could be at risk if they speed over them. Signage, paint, and reflective strips could be used to increase speed ramp visibility.

In most cases, decreasing speed increases safety—but in emergency situations, speed was pivotal for ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles, and noted that poorly placed speed ramps could be a hazard.

Mr Mensah stated that it was not prudent for the nation to continue spending a chunk of its resources on avoidable accidents and cautioned communities along highways to desist from unilaterally digging across streets to serve as speed breaks to force drivers to lower their speed.

Touching on some health implications, he noted that Ghanaians were likely to develop severe spinal problems in the future due to the many speed ramps on the nation’s major highways.

Highway trips, according to him, were supposed to bring comfort to travellers, but Ghanaians have been denied this, noting, a journey on the nation’s highways was burdensome and unpleasant.

He was unhappy that the numerous speed ramps on Ghanaian roads were part of the causes of road accidents, but said the way some motorists use the roads was also undesirable.

In that light, he called on road authorities to map out strategies to end what he described as “becoming a national disaster”.