Road Accidents in Ghana

There are many factors which lead to carnage on our roads. Among them are the following:

1. Indiscipline (no desire to follow traffic rules and regulations) on the part of both pedestrians and drivers.
2. Lack of structures and disciplined personnel to enforce and punish the violators of traffic rules.
3. Unprincipled vehicle maintenance culture (tires with no tread, faulty brakes, etc).
4. Unnecessary over speeding.
5. Bad judgment in overtaking vehicles on hills (overtaking multiple vehicles at a time, etc.).
6. Disregard for human life.

We lose our potential scientists, engineers, business tycoons, professors, pastors, doctors, etc. every day to senseless and preventable road accidents.

How many more human capital should we lose before we sit up?

Where would the world be today if Albert Einstein (Theory of Relativity), Thomas Edison (Electric Power Generation), Alexander Graham Bell (Telephones), Henry Ford (Ford Motor Company), and a host of other inventors had died before their inventions took place?

We are quick in blaming accidents on bad roads (Highway N1 is one of the best highways in Ghana and yet more accidents are recorded there daily).

Solutions:

1. As a condition for driver’s license renewal, drivers should be required to watch hours of videos on road accidents and its effects on families and the economy.
2. Long distance buses and 18-wheelers (articulators) should have two drivers who would take turns to drive.
3. Violators of traffic rules must not be treated with kids gloves.
4. Poorly maintained vehicles must be taken off our streets.
5. Broken down vehicles must be towed away without delay at the owner's cost.

We need to take immediate steps to solve this problem.