Pedestrians should give drivers enough indication of their intentions to cross the road — MTTD

Pedestrians should give drivers enough indication of their intentions to cross the road, the Tema Regional Command of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service has advised the public stressing that the pedestrians must use road markings, and walk briskly to cross the street when safe.

“Avoid unnecessary obstructions and interference, focus on the task of crossing the road safely, don’t engage in usage of the phone while crossing the road, and cross at designated portions of the road at zebra cross, footbridges, near intersections, junctions, and near the roundabout.

“Avoid crossing from an obscure corner, behind vehicles, or without giving sufficient notice to the incoming vehicle, and drivers are mandated to stop for pedestrians to cross the road when signalled for permission,” Sergeant Richard Timinka representing the Regional Commander of the MTTD– Ghana Police Service stated at the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office and MTTD road safety campaign platform which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) at Tema.

The GNA-Tema and MTTD Road Safety Project seek to actively create consistent and systematic weekly awareness advocacy on the need to be cautious on the road as a user, educate all road users of their respective responsibilities, and sensitize drivers, especially on the tenets of road safety regulations, rules, and laws.

Sgt. Timinka, therefore, advises road users to be very cautious when plying on the road, especially during the rainy season. “Pedestrians should give drivers enough indication of their intentions to cross the road,

He said there is the need to go by road safety regulations to help reduce accidents and furthered advice drivers to stop engaging in a mobile phone conversation or WhatsApp chatting while driving, “even in a slow-moving traffic it is an offense”.

He reminded drivers that it was an offense to drive on the shoulders of the road and wrongfully overtaken all these leads to accidents.

He said the road is meant for both drivers and pedestrians, and that at every given time a driver can also become a pedestrian, “so it should be the duty of every driver to protect the pedestrians”.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency appealed to the media to upscale public education on road safety, stressing that, “Road safety is a shared responsibility, we must not leave anyone behind”.

He commended the MTTD Tema Regional Command for the effort to team up with the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office to embark on the weekly public education campaign to make the roads safe for all.