Intensive Advocacy and Sensitization needed to Reduce Road Accidents- CUTS International

A leading Advocacy and Consumer Protection organization, CUTS International has called on all stakeholders in road safety to intensify advocacy and sensitize the general public as one of the ways to reduce the surge in road accidents in the country.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of a CSOs platform on Road Safety, the West African Regional Director of CUTS International, Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako noted that a strong road safety policy framework sustained public advocacy and awareness campaigns and effective sensitization as well as enforcement of road regulations and laws by all stakeholders will reduce road traffic injuries and fatalities.

Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako explained that currently, road crashes are killing and injuring more Ghanaians than diseases already described as health hazards. Hence, the government should declare road safety as a public health hazard to enable Parliament to approve more funding for road safety interventions.

This, according to him, should be part of the measures to curb the menace on the roads. “COVID-19 has so far killed 1,459 people in the country while road crashes had been responsible for the death of 1,443 persons between January and July this year” he added.

Mr Adomako further argued that the move would empower law enforcement agencies to diligently carry out more road traffic enforcement. He said the numerous fatal road accidents in the country were a result of poor road engineering, absence of street lights, behavioural risk driving including texting or receiving a call while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.

To enhance the advocacy, Mr Adomako said the platforms of CSOs have been initiated to advocate and engage with policymakers on matters regarding road safety. “CSOs have over the years played a critical role in engaging with policymakers and government to advocate reforms aimed at making the country better. Through networking, advocacy and policy engagement, this platform can do a lot of work to cause the government to act on road safety,” he stated

On his path, the Communication and Advocacy lead for CUTS International, Mr Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey said available statistics indicated that drunk driving and over-speeding were the leading causes of road accidents in the country.

He, therefore, charged the road safety platform to collaborate with the relevant authorities to intensify advocacy on drunk driving and over-speeding.

The Program Coordinator for Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety, Mr Osei Kufour noted that the platform would hold Road Safety capacity building and sensitization, Road Safety advocacy campaigns, targeted public awareness campaigns and collaborate with relevant road safety agencies to ensure effective enforcement of road safety laws.