The Volta Regional Directorate of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is stepping up its ‘Stay Alive Speed Campaign’ to maintain safety on the road and save lives.
The action is being taken to make sure that all road users including drivers, motorists, and pedestrians comply with the road safety protocols to reduce accidents.
Madam Joana Fafa Ayer, Volta Regional Director for NRSA, told Ghana News Agency, the region recorded a total of 296 road crashes, involving 467 vehicles between January and September 2023.
The Director said there were 92 fatalities, 239 injuries, and 69 pedestrians knocked down within the same period.
She stated that her outfit had created mechanisms to reach out to all road users and was carrying out sensitization in places like churches, mosques, and lorry terminals to encourage all road users to adhere to road safety measures.
The Director said to make sure that drivers follow the road safety rules and regulations, the ‘Stay Alive Speed Campaign’ would be supplemented by p
lanned compliance exercises on major highways in the region.
The exercise, she said, would be conducted in coordination with the Driver, Vehicle and Licensed Authority, the Ghana National Fire Service, and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service.
Madam Ayer said data showed that over speeding was associated with over 32 per cent of injuries and close to 40 per cent of fatalities, emphasising the urgent need for focused initiatives to address this problem.
She cautioned drivers to follow the posted speed limit before, during, and after the festive season, as over speeding was a serious concern for road safety because it was directly associated with higher crash risks, collision severity, and rates of fatalities and injuries.
Madam Ayer said the Ghana Police Service’s Traffitech-GH initiative would soon start, and cameras would be installed at designated areas, as a result, drivers need to be aware of traffic laws and regulations to avoid receiving fines.
She stated that her
outfit would be conducting surveillance tours in accident-prone areas like Ho-Fume Road, and a team would also be on the ground prior to, during, and after the yuletide to guarantee road safety.
Source: Ghana News Agency