Passengers must wake up to reduce road accidents

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has asked passengers to be vigilant and caution careless and reckless drivers whose actions and inactions may cause accidents on the road.

It said when passengers rise up and voice out when drivers default in road traffic regulations, the rate of road accidents would reduce in the country.

Speaking at the National Remembrance Day of Road Accident victims in Saltpond on Sunday, Mr Stephen Mensah, the Central Regional Assistant Planning Manager of the Authority, said about 90 per cent of accidents were caused by a bad attitude towards road traffic regulations.

Passengers must, therefore, mount some form of pressure on drivers when they flout road traffic regulations like speeding and wrongful overtaking.

Mr Mensah said globally, one point three (1.3) million people are killed annually through road accidents with about 3,600 deaths daily.

In Ghana, he noted that about 290,227 crashes with 47, 783 deaths have been recorded from 1991 to 2019.

Describing the situation as “worrying”, Mr Mensah appealed to the public to be vigilant on the road and report reckless and careless drivers to the police to avoid further tragic accidents.

Mr Mensah revealed that motorbikes were now the leading cause of accidents and called on riders to adhere to road traffic signs and regulations.

On the “Stay Alive Campaign”, he called on all especially passengers to collectively support stakeholders to eliminate road accidents, adding that “every life matters, let us save our friends, loved ones and family.

DOIII Adrain Amissah, the Mfantseman District Fire Commander, urged Ghanaians to call the emergency units on time to minimise preventable deaths recorded during emergencies.

He said the Fire Service did not only prevent fire, but also attended to emergencies including; accidents among others.

The District Commander appealed to the public to stop prank calls and assist the security agencies to execute their duties diligently.

As part of the day’s celebration, the Regional NRSA donated GH¢800.00 to the Saltpond Hospital to assist road and accident victims at the facility.