Road Accidents In Ghana

NEWS COMMENTARY ON HIGH CASES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS IN GHANA 

Statistics have revealed that thousands of road accidents occur every day, resulting in deaths or serious injuries to all manner of people. Media reports show that Ghana’s road accident is oddly high among developing countries. In 2001 for example, Ghana was rated as the second highest road traffic accident-prone nation among six West African countries, with 73 deaths per thousand accidents. The Director of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong has revealed that more than six thousand accident cases have been recorded since January this year, leading to more than one thousand deaths. This according to him is an increase over that of last year. Statistics show that four people die daily on Ghanaian roads due to road accident. In monetary terms, it is estimated that the country loses more than $230 million yearly due to road accidents with more than 1600 deaths. The loss correlates to one point seven percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Further breakdown of the statistics show that 43 percent of the fatalities involved pedestrians and 53 percent occupants of vehicles, and of all the pedestrian fatalities, twenty percent involved children below the age of 16 years. The Vice-Chairman of the GPRTU, Robert Sarbah also blamed some of the accidents on substandard and inappropriate spare-parts used by commercial drivers. 

The police however maintain that about 75 percent of road accidents are caused by human factors such as improper training, indiscipline, alcoholism, over speeding, over loading and unlawful overtaking. Many are however of the view that 60 percent of all car crashes are due to over speeding. According to the figures, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Eastern and Ashanti are the most crash prone regions, accounting for 64 percent of the 395 national road fatalities recorded in the first quarter of last year. There is therefore the need to map out the country into zones for effective road safety education and enforcement of traffic regulations. Families and friends are still yet to come to terms with the death of 50 passengers on board a metro mass bus near Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region in February this year. The loss of innocent lives through road traffic accidents is just alarming and mind boggling. The greatest worry over these accidents apart from death and disability is their socio-economic implication for the nation. 

According to the World Health Organisation, road traffic accidents affecting young and productive age are globally the second cause of death followed by HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. Considering the magnitude of the effects, there is the need for concerted, multi-sectorial effort to combat the menace of road traffic accidents. This calls for strict enforcement of road traffic regulations. It is paradoxical that while murder is a crime punishable by death, drivers whose negligence and recklessness result in the death of thousands of people are most often left off the hook. The law is clearly against parking at unauthorised places, receiving calls whilst driving, overloading, fatigue driving, drunk driving, over speeding, nonobservance of traffic rules and regulations, and poor maintenance of vehicles. It is unfortunate that those who are paid to enforce the laws do not attach much seriousness to it. Many people are of the view that, officers on the roads are not really interested in enforcing rules and regulations, but rather in taking a few cedis from motorists. Whether real or perceived, these officers need to change their approach and demonstrate clearly that they are professionals. 

These days, the greatest threats on our roads are motor cyclists. They have no regard at all for traffic regulations. Apart from not wearing crush helmets, they jump red lights at will with pompous impunity. Unfortunately, an exercise embarked upon by the police some time ago to whip them to order, was just a nine day wonder. Ensuring road safety is a collective responsibility. Section 122 and 683 of the Road offence Act of 2004 empowers citizens to report any driver who misbehaves to the law enforcement agents. This is an option that ordinary citizens can adopt and ensure that the offending drivers are dealt with. The National Road Safety Commission, the Police, DVLA, GPRTU and other transport unions and the courts must all collaborate to ensure sanity on our roads. Road accidents are painful and damaging no matter the form they take. It therefore behoves everyone to join the campaign to reduce the carnage on our roads.

BY BUBU KLINOGO, A JOURNALIST