Stay Away From Alcohol This Festive Season To Save A Life Alcohol Increases Road Traffic Crashes

The festive seasons are here again and everyone is preparing towards its celebration. This celebration allow people to travel far and near to shop whiles others also travel to their hometowns to celebrate with families.

Despite it being a happy and joyous festive season, many are those who will either lose their lives or become disabled permanently due to lack of simple adherence to road traffic regulations; what a waste will it be.

We at the Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) would like to see everyone next year alive but this can only be achieve if we all recognizes that alcohol is classified as the major risk factor for road traffic death and disability in the world.

VALD is cautioning drivers not to drink and drive, avoid careless driving, avoid over speeding and over taking, use helmet and seatbelt. Ensure vehicles are in good condition and proper maintenance of vehicle before hitting the road.

Pedestrians must look both ways before crossing, should be alert when walking along the road and should cross the road at the most appropriate and prescribed places.

The major cause of road accidents in Ghana is due to over speeding.

Clearly, road crashes are one of the top public health challenges in Ghana, responsible for the death of over 2000 people in 2016. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that road traffic injuries will rise to become the fifth leading cause of death by 2030.

We wish to call on the road safety authorities, National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to further step up their efforts that will reduce the road crashes. Violations of the Road Traffic Regulations are just one too many, and many at times the police look helpless.

Road traffic death and disability is avoidable hence government owes it a duty to invest in road safety by employing more personnel dedicated to road safety, acquire more sophiscated and modern road safety equipment’s such as breatherlisers, speed cameras and guns etc. to reduce the deaths and disability on our roads.

Many crashes occur due to alcohol intake by drivers, unfortunately alcohol level is mostly not checked to ascertain the influence of alcohol.

Apart from road traffic crashes occurring as a result of alcohol, many diseases such as hypertension, stroke, obesity, diabetes, domestic violence are a result of alcohol.

The short and long term negative effect of alcohol far outweigh the benefits one get, if there are any.

Time is of essence but safety is even more important, accident will inhibit your ability to arrive at your destination.