Drivers are to blame

The recent flurry of accidents on our roads is a source of concern to every Ghanaian. Within two months many Ghanaians have lost their lives through roads accidents, some of which could be avoidable. As a means of fInding an antidote to the problem, many theories have been prescribed.

One of such theories is the call for a ban on imported used tyres. According to experts, some of the used tyres are designed for winter conditions and therefore not fit our tropical weather. Unfortunately, due to the trade liberalization policy, many of these tyres are finding their way onto the Ghanaian market and creating problems for our transport industry. To the experts, the best way to curb the accidents on our roads is the outright ban on the importation of these tyres.

The Ministry of Transportation has in its bid to nip this canker in the bud also indicated its preparedness to set up a Traffic Police Unit which would be on our highways to check traffic offences. The Chronicle ascribes to all these theories but we think no lasting solution can be found to the problem if drivers, who are at the centre of the whole commotion, have been relegated to the background.

As noted by Mr. Victor Tandoh, a former commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, during his recent interview with Joy FM, some of the drivers have become a nuisance on our roads by driving carelessly, amid wrong overtaking and overspeeding. The Chronicle thinks even if the importation of used tyres are banned and all commercial cars and vehicles resort to the use of brand new lorry tyres, our roads would still not be safe if our drivers continue to show such level of indiscipline.

The Chronicle is, however, happy that some patriotic Ghanaians have noticed this problem and have started monitoring drivers on the highways. The yesterday edition of the Daily Dispatch carried a reader's letter where the writer drew the attention of the owner of a vehicle with registration number GC4902Z, to the carelessness of the driver on the Accra-Cape Coast highway.

According to the writer, the driver of the aforementioned vehicle made a dangerous overtaking at Kromantse, near Saltpond in the Central region, which could have resulted in an accident, but for the alertness of the opposing vehicle. The Chronicle believes that if all Ghanaians should emulate this example and start reporting such indisciplined drivers to their owners, and their vehicles taken away from them if found culpable, we would be on the way to solving 90% of road accidents. Losing the lives of innocent Ghanaians through the carelessness of drivers is unacceptable and must be stopped now!