‘Road safety is shared and collective responsibility’

The Western Regional Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DCOP Isaac Alex Quainoo has said that road safety is a shared and collective responsibility of the entire citizenry.

He therefore entreated the public to support the police in combating reckless driving by motorists.

He charged Ghanaians not be passive passengers when on board vehicles but rather alert drivers who engage in various traffic offences such as over-speeding, overloading, drunk driving or any act that could be detrimental to the safety of passengers and other road users.

“When you realize that the driver is over-speeding or driving recklessly on the road you should report him at the nearest police barrier, because if you keep quiet, and an accident occurs, all the passengers on board could die or sustain serious injuries, which will have serious economic repercussion on the nation as well as the persons involved”, he advised.

DCOP Isaac Quainoo gave the advice when inaugurating an 11-Member Road Safety Committee at Asankrangwa in the Wassa Amenfi West District of the Western Region.

The committee was made up of representatives of the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prison Service, Ghana Education Service, National Commission for Civic Education and the National Road Safety Commission.

The rest are the Ghana Red Cross Society, the District Chief Executive, the Police Service, Ghana Private and Road Transport Union, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Feeder Roads Department and the Stool Lands Secretary.

The Regional Police Commander charged the Committee to be vigilant and engage in vigorous advocacy campaigns to minimize the spate of road crashes in the area and also ensure law and order on the roads.

He urged motor riders to wear crash helmets and the drivers to use their seatbelts for their own safety, and that of other road users.

He said the Police Service had embarked on a nationwide exercise to apprehend offending motorists, who break the traffic rules and regulations with impunity.

The District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Mr. Kingsley Owusu Bempah, said 11 persons died in the first half of the year through road accidents with 66 injuries, involving 47 vehicles in the area.

He observed that most of these accidents occurred as a result of over-speeding, overloading and drunk driving and, therefore, cautioned motorists to change their attitudes to ensure safety on the road.

The Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission, Mr. Samuel Asiamah, indicated that, 104 persons died through accidents in the region during the first half of the year, with 466 injuries, involving 645 vehicles.

He described the figures as unpleasant and called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to minimize the crashes.

The District Chief Executive of the area, Mr. Samuel Victor Meisu, who was appointed as chairperson for the Committee, assured of the commitment and determination of members to drastically reduce the menace of road crashes in the area and asked for the support of all to achieve the set targets.