Drivers admonished to be cautious in the run up of the 2016 elections

By Regina Benneh, GNA
Sunyani, October 28, GNA - Motorists and pedestrians have been cautioned to abide by road-traffic regulations to forestall a surge in road crashes and the resultant fatalities in the upcoming general elections and the Christmas celebration.

Superintendent Daniel Oppong Asirifi, Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Brong-Ahafo Region, said the euphoria characterizing the two all-important events, during which people were bound to commute from one place to the other, called for extra care to help save lives and limbs.

He gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani urging drivers whose businesses would peak during these times to drive carefully and do away with speeding and drunk-driving whiles also exhibiting other road safety competencies.

'You should not take undue advantage of the absence of the police on the roads to do the wrong things, but you must endeavor to demonstrate acts of professionalism even without the police to call to order on the roads,' the MTTD regional boss added.

Sup. Asirifi said there was a slight increase in road crashes in the Region which rose from 365 from January to October in 2015 to 474 this year within the same period.

Road crashes death toll also rose from 169 to 232 and 611 people also sustained various degrees of injuries this year from January to October. He however could not give last year's figure for the injuries.

Supt. Asirifi mentioned lack of regular maintenance of vehicles and human errors as the major causes of accidents.

GNA