‘Drivers must respect road signs’
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) will distribute 50 lollipop stands containing road signs to some schools in Accra, Tema, Ho and Koforidua to assist road users, particularly children, to cross busy roads.
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The move has come about following the re-introduction of a road safety programme that was organised on a pilot basis sometime ago to educate children on how to use lollipop sign posts to alert oncoming vehicles of their presence whenever they wanted to cross the road.
It is expected that the lollipop stands, in addition to ensuring the safety of pedestrians, will also help to reduce the high incidence of accidents on the roads.
Presenting a number of the stands to the Nima Cluster of Schools in Accra last Wednesday, the Executive Director of the NRSC, Ing Mrs Obiri Yeboah, said the commission was introducing the stands to complement the use of Zebra crossing on roads.
“We think that if we introduce it in addition to the Zebra (pedestrian) crossings, it will help children pass safely over roads and help reduce accidents,” she said.
She said books on road safety had been distributed to the various schools for children to become familiar with road signs.
Challenges
Ing. Yeboah said among many challenges, the Commission was also facing the contempt drivers had for users of lollipop sign posts. He said it was regrettable that many times, drivers failed to stop for children even when the stop sign was held up.
She said some drivers also came to a stop right on pedestrian crossings, making it difficult for children and other road users to cross with ease.
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Ing. Yeboah has, under the circumstances, advised drivers to respect the rights of pedestrians always, especially children.
She further urged schoolchildren to endeavour to educate their siblings and other family members on the use of the lollipop stands and to also ask traffic wardens to help them to cross roads.
She advised children to wait until all vehicles stopped before crossing the road.
“Pick up the lollipop sign posts, watch left and right and then stretch the lollipop for the oncoming vehicle to stop before you cross the road”, she advised
Responsible for the stands
The Headmaster of the Nima ‘2’ Basic School, Mr Noah Ayisi, lauded the efforts of the NRSC in educating road users on their rights, specifically children.
He said prior to the introduction of the lollipop stands, school authorities nominated a staff member to help the schoolchildren to cross the road.
Mr Ayisi assured the NRSC that the school would take good care of the equipment, and promised that the children would be made to use it anytime they wanted to cross the road.