1 day ago
5 ARTICLE AD
There was an increase in the number of road crashes incidents recorded in October this year as compared to the same month last year.
According to data from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) on the road safety situation in the country, the cases recorded increased from 1,107 in October last year to 1,307 in October this year.
During that same period, the number of vehicles involved in the crashes also increased from 1,864 to 2,246, while the number of deaths increased from 171 to 221.
Also, the data showed an increase in the number of injuries recorded from 1,034 to 1,513 and pedestrian knockdown from 199 to 236.
Per the data, Greater Accra (320), Eastern (398), and Ashanti region (524) recorded the highest fatalities between January and October this year.
The data was presented by the Principal Planning Manager, Mr Dennis Yeribu, on behalf of Mr Martin Afram, the Director of Planning and Programmes NRSA, at a national drivers and transport conference in Accra yesterday.
The conference was organised by Drivex, a driver recruitment and training agency, in collaboration with the NRSA under the theme, ‘Cultivating a Culture of Responsibility: Everyone’s Role in Road Safety.’
It had in attendance representatives of transport operators, Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service.
For his part, Mr Afram, who represented the Director-General of the NRSA, Mr David Osafo Adonteng, emphasised that enhancing road safety in the country was a collective responsibility.
He said that although the country had made some progress in the awareness creation on road safety, issues such as inadequate enforcement, poor road infrastructure, and over speeding remained a challenge.
Mr Adonteng, therefore, called on all stakeholders, especially celebrities and influencers, to join the awareness creation and share their experiences on road crashes in order to enhance road safety in the country.
The Director MTTD, Chief Superintendent of Police, Alexander Kwaku Obeng, during a panel discussion, called for policy reforms, including the passage of the Road Traffic Amendment Regulation 2024 Legal Instrument (L.I.) 2496, to reduce road crashes.
Chief Superintendent Obeng stressed the importance of reformed policies that recognised motorcyclists and pedestrians, especially dispatch riders, who he described as the most vulnerable in terms of road fatalities recorded.
The Deputy Director, Driver Training, Testing, and Licensing (DTTL) of the DVLA, Emmanuel Klugah, announced that his outfit, from the first quarter of next year, would commence training for motor riders on road safety measures.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Motor Riders Union (NMRU), Mr Pascal Quarshie Setsoafia, underscored a need for the creation of lanes and road signs for motorcyclists to use.
He also commended the DVLA for the initiative to train motor riders from the first quarter of next year to build their capacity in road safety.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Drivex, Mr Opaku Dennis Delali, urged the country to prioritise and support road safety activities and programmes.
Also, he advised all stakeholders, including pedestrians and passengers, to call out irresponsible behaviour by drivers and motorists on roads to reduce road crushes recorded in the country.
