Curbing road accidents is collective responsibility of all — Road Safety boss

The Deputy Director of National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in charge of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Alexander Ayatha has disclosed that road accidents in the country could be curbed, when Ghanaians join the Authority to educate the public.

Mr. Alexander Agatha made the call when he paid a day visit to the Western North Region on a mission to meet stakeholders on how to curb road accidents.

In the region he called on the regional police command DCOP Akrasi Mensah, ASP Juliana Fortin regional MTTD Commander and finally at the Drivers Vehicles And Licensing Authority (DVLA) offices where he had interactions with them.

Mr Alexander Ayatha indicated that the rate at which road accidents have been occurring in the country is very alarming and therefore needs serious attention.

He hinted that it is the wish of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) that road accidents are reduced to the bearest minimum.

The Road Safety officer applauded the staff of the Western North Regional National Road Safety Authority for the tremendous work done though being a new region with less logistics.

He entreated the police to check logbooks of long distance vehicles indicating that that by so doing they would help advice drivers to have a rest at a point.

On his part the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ernest Akrasi Mensah hinted that the region recorded more motor accidents particular in the first quarter of this year resulting in the death of many youth.

He linked most of the accidents to over speeding, overtaking, riding without crash helmet, and using tricycles to load woods.

The Commander assured that his outfit will collaboration with other stakeholders to work hard to prevent road accidents in the area and for that matter the country as a whole.

ASP Juliana Forson regional MTTD commander appealed to the National Road Safety Authority to provide the region with towing vehicles.

This she said would enable them convey broken down vehicles abandoned on the road which has been noted as the major cause of road accidents.

At the regional office of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) office, the Manager in charge, Mr. Robert Williams Aklamanu welcomed the entourage and said the DVLA in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority and other stakeholders are doing all that they can to prevent carnages on the road.

He called on the drivers to take advantage of the DVLA offices to register and insure their vehicles in addition to road worthy certification.

Finally, Mr Victor Kojo Bilson, the Western North Regional head of the National Road Safety Authority gave a statistics on cases recorded.

According to him, 264 cases were recorded from January to December, 2020 as compared to 325 cases in 2021. He added that 85 people died in 2021 as against 82 in 2020.

He concluded that, 38 death had been recorded in the first quarter of 2022 as against 22 death same period last year.

He attributed the increment in 2022 to crashes between Sprinter Bus and Metro Mass Transit bus that happened in 10 February, 2022 at Sefwi Anhwiaso-Tanoso in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai municipality of which 13 passengers died with 10 others injured.