vehicles knocking down pedestrians

Takoradi, Jan 20, GNA - Mr Thomas Bismarck Boakye, Western Regional Coordinator of the National Road Safety Commission, has expressed concern about the spate of vehicles knocking down pedestrians in the region.
Addressing a news conference at Takoradi on Friday, he attributed this to the failure of both drivers and pedestrians to observe road signs and regulations.
He said District Road Safety Committees were going to be formed this year to educate the public on road traffic rules and regulations to curb accidents.
Mr Boakye said Road Safety Clubs would also be formed in schools. He said the District Committees were expected to collaborate with transport officers of organisations to educate drivers. Mr Boakye appealed to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to educate drivers on vehicular fire prevention.
Five accidents have been recorded this year while 118 resulting in 88 deaths and 878 injuries recorded last year. He blamed them on over-loading and over-speeding, which are traffic offences and advised passengers against urging drivers to speed.
Mr Victor Poku Adusah, Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service, called for the introduction of on-the-spot fines for traffic offences to ensure discipline on the roads.
He pointed ou t that the courts were saddled with criminal cases and said traffic offences must be disposed off as soon as possible. Mr Adusah said timber trucks were not to carry more than three logs at onetime but many of them were flouting the law and appealed for more logistics and vehicles for patrols to check traffic offences. Mr Vincent Fiati, Regional Licensing Officer, said applicants for driver's licence would now take written tests in addition to the oral and traffic tests.
He said the measure was to ensure that drivers were more conversant with road signs and regulations and could read and write. Mr Fiati said road worthy certificates were to be issued only after meeting all the requirements and expressed concern about the use of fake documents by some drivers.
Other speakers at the meeting were Mr Edward Nyonator, Regional Development Engineer of the Department of Urban Roads, Mr John Kyei, Area Manager of the Ghana Highways Authority and Mr Paul Yawson, Regional Director of the Department of Feeder Roads.