Book on road safety launched
A book that provides comprehensive information of the country’s road safety profile has been launched in Accra.
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Titled “Right Turn; challenges, opportunity and an urgent call towards road safety”, the 614-page book provides theoretical background of different aspects of road traffic crash and road safety by international standards and best practices for comparative analysis of the state of road safety in Ghana.
The book, authored by the Managing Consultant of M/s Ablin Engineers and Planning Ltd,Dr Paulina Agyekum, also elaborates on multiple aspects of road safety in terms of what has been done, what is being done and what needs to be done.
This is with regard to existing road safety programmes, policies, legislation, institutions, contextual factors relating to politics, environment, economics, capacity and the related impact on road traffic fatalities and injuries in the country.
Chapters of the book touch on situational analysis of road safety, trends and progress in road traffic crashes, road safety management in Ghana and infrastructure. The rest are vehicular safety, safe road user, post crash care in road safety, road safety education, road traffic law enforcement and the future of road safety development.
The event was attended by players in the transport, engineering, construction and road safety management industries.
Road safety
Addressing a ceremony to launch the book last Wednesday, Dr Agyekum said road safety issues required a multi-sectoral approach, while urging the public to be cautious when using the road.
She said the book contained several components of road safety which could form the foundation for future development of road safety. “My hope is that the book will form a foundation for the future development of a road safety degree course, as currently there is no such course. There is no professional and career development in road safety,” she added.
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Although she said the country was implementing something in each aspect of road safety in relation to UN conventions, such as infrastructure, traffic regulation compliance, certification, education and enforcement, same could not be said on post crash management and road facilities in rural areas making road users vulnerable.
Dr Agyekum, however, called on relevant authorities in road safety to implement solutions in that regard.
Commendation
The acting Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), David Osafo Adonteng, commended the author for the book, and urged the public to purchase and read it to gain knowledge on road safety.
He said the book had come in handy for the authority and said it would adopt the local language and use information in the book to teach drivers on issues concerning road safety.
In order to ensure discipline in the roads, he said the authority was in talks with the Inspector General of Police to increase police presence on the roads to ensure adherence of road regulations by motorists and road users.
In a Speech read on his behalf, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Dr Abass Awotu, expressed the ministry’s commitment to improve the road network in the country.
“Some key roads are being expanded and pedestrian facilities such as walkways provided. Some of the roads under construction include the Adenta-Dodowa road expansion, Kasoa- Winneba road, Ofankor-Nsawam road and Tamale-Yendi-Zamzugu-Tatale,” he said.
He called for more research to be done and books published, since roads safety was a dynamic area considering the emergence of Okada and tricycles. Dr Awotu commended Dr Agyekum for the book and encouraged other road safety authorities to also follow suit