Towards Election 2016 - who is for road safety?

Many countries, developed and developing, are perennially confronted by a myriad of land transport problems. The costs of these problems in both human and financial terms are exacerbated by the increase in vehicular crashes which are predicted to become the third largest cause of death and injury globally by the year 2020.

And indeed, developing countries such as Ghana by definition would bear the greatest proportion of road calamities if the status quo remains intransigent.

Ghana records an average of 2000 deaths equivalent to 10 two hundred-seater passenger aircraft, dropping from the sky, every year!.

In Ghana, families are havocked by the death of a sole breadwinner or prospective breadwinner, someone in whom they have reposed their hope of economic survival. Children are bereft of fathers (men are usually the drivers in the commercial road transport sector) as a consequence of road traffic death or injury. 

It is patently incredible that over the years, political parties have not sign-posted their commitment to saving lives on the roads in their manifestos. 

Hundreds of promises including road construction are sprinkled like Homowo kpokpoi but not a single promise is proffered to ensure safety of the thousands of vulnerable road users. Roads are presumably constructed to fulfil political manifesto promises. 

There is no provision or consideration made for the road user on foot: the schoolchildren who have to run the gauntlet to get to school, the disabled, the elderly, the infirm etc.

Who is for road safety?

General election fever is upon us again and political parties, their prospective MPs and members are desperately stomping all over the place to impress and plead for votes. 

But who is promising safe roads? Who is promising that they will not just construct roads but they will do something about the incessant road deaths and that those who might suffer road fatality will be duly compensated? In fact, who is for pedestrian-friendly and error-intolerant roads?

It is bewildering that all Presidents past and present and several other political parties have been directly and indirectly involved in some road traffic incident but none seems to have grabbed this matter by the horn to champion a transformation in the poor driving attitude in the road environment. 

The death or injury of anyone in the road space is regrettable but should Heads of State and their convoys feature regularly in road traffic crashes sacrificing safety for security?

An appointment of a Minister of Road Safety, with a Cabinet position, will be a clear and precise indication on the part of government that they are serious about reducing road deaths and injuries, and committed to making a difference in the lives of all road users, including the Presidency itself! 

As a signatory to the Sustainable Development Goals policy, the Government of Ghana would be upholding provisions 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) and 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable of the UN declaration. Beliefs and values systems underpin the level of risk the road user in Ghana is prepared to take which may lead to a fatality or injury. 

Surely, cultural and individual indifferences in cognition and perception of hazards would necessitate a vigorous and relentless campaign to change attitudes and socially aberrant driving behaviour: that is how a Vision Zero can be incepted. 

There is the need to also focus on the driver as a contributing causal agent in road incidents. Periodic driver refresher training before licence renewal or upgrade is already a legal requirement; this must be enforced without let or hindrance. 

This would reflect the increasing demand for safe and efficient driving. Subsequently, there would be a reduction in vehicular collisions, enhancement in drivers’ well-being, satisfaction and motivation. 

I hazard to say that none of the political parties and their respective candidates have the wherewithal to make road safety a political issue! Dead people don’t vote! And of course, road crash victims cannot threaten you with the vote!  

In fact, enough is enough! Families are being devastated. Let whoever is for Road Safety this election season, stand out and be counted! Else “we no go vote”! Food for thought!