Road accidents shoot up in 2016

Statistics available to the National Road Safety Commission indicate that although road accidents have been decreasing for the past three years, the figures shot up in 2016.

As of the end of November 2016, 11,378 road accidents had been recorded involving 17,746 vehicles and 12,154 casualties.

Of the casualties, 1,990 lives were lost while 10,154 sustained various degrees of injuries.

Electioneering

Updating the media on the 2016 road safety situation in Accra yesterday, the Executive Director of the Commission, Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, attributed the high figures in road accidents recorded in 2016 to the electioneering activities that heightened in the year prior to the conduct of the December 7 polls.

According to her, compared to the same period in 2015, reported cases increased by 14.88 per cent, vehicles involved in accidents increased by 14.45 per cent, injuries recorded also increased by 33.74 per cent, while fatalities increased by 20.19 per cent in 2016.

Mrs Yeboah reiterated that while the commission instituted measures to reduce the prevalence of road accidents, the figures shot up this year because of the electioneering.

Statistics available to the Motto Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and made available to the media by an officer of the department, DSP Emmanuel Adu Boahene, also indicated that road accidents worsened between December 7 and December 11, 2016.

During the period, 100 road crashes were recorded involving 157 vehicles. Those accidents claimed 44 lives leaving 112 people with varying degrees of injury.

Post-election period

Mrs Obiri-Yeboah said the commission had observed with worry some disturbing motor traffic practices by some celebrants following the declaration of the results of the presidential election.

She said the commission had also observed the practice of motorbike riders taking to needless manoeuvring without helmets, speed in settlements areas, driving without strapping of seatbelts and carrying of persons in the buckets of pickups, among other risky conducts.

“We wish to call on the leadership of the political parties to engage their supporters on the need to celebrate without exposing themselves and others to the risk of road traffic deaths and injuries.

Mrs Yeboah said the commission would as usual, intensify its year-long road safety programmes during the Christmas period to ensure that lives were protected from road-related accidents.

“I wish to thank all our stakeholders, particularly the media, for their commitment and support to the commission. It is our expectation that drivers would justify their licences by driving professionally and responsibly to safeguard the lives they carry,” she said.

She called on pedestrians to look out for safe crossing facilities such as footbridges and crossing points when crossing the road.

Presentation to MTTD

The commission, as part of measures instituted to reduce road accidents, particularly during the Christmas period, presented traffic enforcement equipment valued at GH¢800,000 to the MTTD to support its efforts.

The items included 200 pieces of reflective vests, seven measuring wheels, seven digital height gauges, 20 dash cameras and 10,000 mouthpieces of alcohol test tubes.

The rest are two desktop computers, seven speed radar guns, seven alcometer and calibration of equipment (radar guns and alcometer).

Writer’s email Doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh