Accra,— Ghanaians have been advised to uphold the tenets of road safety in order to reduce road crashes in the country.
Speaking at the launch of the “Save a Life” Road Safety Campaign on Monday, Mr Nii Adjei Tawiah, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, said awareness creation was necessary to help citizens understand their responsibilities when using the road.
The Campaign launch was organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Korle Klottey Municipal Office in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and Street Sense Organisation to intensify awareness on road safety.
The event was accompanied by a street carnival from the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange through Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Farisco, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Headquarters, Accra Technical University, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) Office, Tema Station, Old Parliament House, Accra Arts Centre and ended at the Independence Square.
It brought together students, transport unions, and other stakeholders to be sensitised on road safety practices and various road traffic offenses.
The MCE advised road users to act responsibly at all times, adding that, every Ghanaian was a stakeholder in making the road safe for use.
“Trotro and Taxi drivers shouldn’t be too much in a haste. They should know that there are road users on the sides of the road, as such any least mistake can cause an accident. However, if we are conducting ourselves in a befitting manner, then we can minimize these road crashes,” he said.
He said the Assembly was making sure that traders did not take over the pedestrian walkways.
Mr Stanley Addo Quaynor, NCCE Municipal Director, Korley Klottey, said the road crash canker, could be cured when an intensive public education was rolled out for road users and pedestrians.
He said his outfit had plans of reaching out to all 13 lorry stations and taxi ranks across the Korle Klottey municipality covering 130 Groups.
Mr Quaynor said aside launching the campaign and street carnival, other strategies to execute this task included face-to-face interactions with target groups such as vehicle drivers, motor or bicycle riders, and pedestrians, amongst others.
He said they would also carry out street announcements to cover 200 major streets within the Korle Klottey Municipality.
“We believe that by the end of this public education on “Save a Live Road Safety Campaign 2021’’, Ghana would record an accident free season and beyond,” he added.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Edward Odame, Crime Officer, Adabraka District said it was an offense for a motorist to ride without a helmet or to allow an unlicensed individual to drive a vehicle.
He said in the event where a long vehicle truck broke down, the driver had one hour to inform either the Police or NRSA to have it towed from the road, but if the vehicle broke down outside the city, the driver had a maximum of two hours.
The Crime Officer advised drivers to park and rest for 30 minutes after every four-hour drive.
He said after a road crash, if a investigations pointed out that the driver was the cause of someone’s death, he or she could either spend up to 10 years imprisonment or be fined, or both.
DSP Odame also said if the driver was the reason for someone attaining a serious injury, then he or she could either spend up to five years imprisonment, be fined or both.
Mrs Pearl Adusu, Head of Corporate Affairs, NRSA, advised drivers to always stop for pedestrians to cross the road, avoid wrongful overtaking, desist from using their phones whilst driving and obey all traffic regulations.
She also cautioned them against drunk driving and urged motorists to always be in their helmets.
Mrs Adusu advised pedestrians to only cross roads at authorized points and urged passengers to report drivers who caused infractions on the road.
She assured Ghanaians that the NRSA would continue to formulate and promote strategies that would enforce road safety.
Source: Ghana News Agency