The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, Ing. David Osafo Adonteng, has revealed that the provisional data from the Ghana Police Service indicates 11,694 cases of road crashes were recorded from January to October, 2023.
He says the accidents have resulted in 12,678 injuries and 1,839 deaths.
He, however, indicated that there have been reductions in the cases of crashes, injuries and the deaths by 7 per cent, 3.36 per cent and 7.4 per cent respectively as compared to the same period in 2022.
He made the revelation during the launch of the 2023 Road Safety Christmas Campaign dubbed: “Stop Speeding Stay Alive” in Accra Tuesday, December 5, 2023.
He has entreated drivers and other road users to be circumspect to help minimise road crashes and mortalities this yuletide.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has said it would effect the installation of speed limiters in commercial vehicles to help curb crashes this Christmas.
The Union has established that despite the poor roads and others factors that contribute to accidents in the country, over speeding is one of the major causes of these road carnage.
The move is geared towards controlling the speed of commercial vehicles that move within 50 kilometers to ensure commercial drivers do not go beyond a particular speed limit approved by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA).
General Secretary of GPRTU, Godfred Abulbire, who made the disclosure indicated that leadership of the GPRTU has done enough education to get drivers change their attitudes on the road but to no avail, hence, the move to compulsorily install speed limiters to curtail over speeding.
“Behavioral change is a very hard thing for us to get the drivers to comply with, you would say all the beautiful words, teach and talk to them but they move on the road and remain who they are, so we think that something has to be done extra.
“So, the GPRTU by next week is going to compulsorily insert speed limiters in all cars that move within 50 kilometres,” Mr. Abulbire emphasised.
He described the move by the GPRTU as the best approach to improve road safety, improve compliance and reduce unsafe driving speeds this yuletide.
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