ROAD SAFETY IS HEALTH, HEALTH IS LIFE.

INTRODUCTION

Over the years, prior, during and immediate post festive seasons like Christmas, Easter and others, the country records a worrying trend of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), with very serious injuries, and deaths, which affects the country’s Human Resources as well as productivity, leading to low economic growth. This has made many stakeholders in Road Safety and Environment to put strategies in place to curb the situation. For instance, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) launched the 2019 Road Safety Christmas campaign under the theme; Stop road accidents now, before it stops you, in support of the Ghana Police Service, with its initiative Operations Father Christmas.

THE FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT RTAs IN GHANA

Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) can be explained as any misfortune that occurs on the road. According to the Director General of National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Mrs. May Obiri-Yeboah, the Yuletide season has always been the topmost risk season for road safety due to increases in motorization and travels before and during the period as well as the excitement and merry making which were often characterized by disrespect for road traffic rules and regulations (www.Allafrica.com).

According to myjoyonline.com, thirty-two (32) people were killed in 161 motor accidents nationwide during the Christmas and New Year period in 2016. It was also noted that between 24th and 26th Dec, 2016, twenty (20) out of the thirty-two (32) died within this period. This shows how serious and alarming the situation is, during the Christmas period. The Police Motor and Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) records, cited by the Graphic online showed that about Six (6) people die each day in Ghana due to Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), which translates into over 2,000 deaths each year.

Also, it was reported that 7,515 private vehicles were involved in road accidents from January to December, 2017 while 6,453 commercial vehicles crashed during the same period (Graphic online, 2018). This means that 1,060 more private vehicles were involved in RTA, with saloon cars being the topmost, followed by sports utility vehicles (SUVs). In Greater Accra Region alone, findings from Ama.gov.gh revealed that RTA has increased from 1,697 in 2016 to 1,812 in 2018, including serious injuries and deaths increasing from 51% in 2017 to 89% in 2018.

The most bizarre report cited by Ghana News Agency online, 2019 was that in December 24th to 26th, 2018, the country recorded 98 crashes on the road, with about 33people dying in the process.

CAUSES OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS (RTAs)

High travel speeds ( overspeeding), overtaking, fatigue driving, drink driving, wrongful road crossings, overloading, worn-out tyres, invisible/ no road signs along the vintage points of the road, invisible or no road markings, inadequate road safety sensitization and others.

ROAD SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT.

Road safety is a public health concern which needs maximum attention to achieve it. Any feature of the road and its surroundings which prevent or reduce the risk of road accident when they do occur can be explained as Road Safety (World Bank; Roads and the environment: A Handbook, n.d). For instance, the signs, markings, intersection layout and control, pavement, roadside access, parking and bus stop arrangements, provisions for pedestrians, cyclists and others are all road safety features.

WHO ARE THOSE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE ROAD SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT?

National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Police Motor and Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD), Transport operators, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Roads and Highways, Drivers, Metropolitans /Municipalities/ District Assemblies, Passengers, Pedestrians and Media.

THE KEY COMMON MANDATE OF EACH STAKEHOLDER.

All the above stakeholders have a common mandate which is “to promote best road safety practices or to promote road safety “. The question now is how can this aim be achieved? Please, have in mind that Safety on the road is a shared responsibility and every Ghanaian has to play their roles well to ensure it works (Supt. Alexander Kweku Obeng, National Director in charge of Education, Research and Training, MTTD, cited in Ghana News Agency online, 2019).

THE WAY FORWARD

1. Be a responsible driver

Don’t drink and drive because your safety is your health, and your health is your life. Please, don’t drive while you are tired, rest because life is only one, whatever you are in hurry to do can wait or be replaced but your life once taken can never be replaced. Kindly check the state of your car tyres, brake, and others for safe driving. Avoid overloading, overtaking and overspeeding, drive safe for your health to have life.

2. Be a responsible pedestrian

Cross at designated safe crossing points (zebra crossing), for your safety is your health, and your health is your life. Watch out carefully from both sides of the road before using the zebra crossing, do not run to cross the road but walk to cross the road because your safety is very important. Avoid phone calls or “ watspping ” or blocking all your ears with your ear pieces when crossing the road. Use the appropriate sidewalks, foot bridges on the road.

3. Be a responsible passenger

Wear your seatbelt, politely check the driver if he or she is drunk or under influence of drugs before you buy tickets or use his or her vehicle, respectfully prompt driver if he is overspeeding or overtaking or overloading, insist that you will report to the police at any police barrier if he or she did not adhere to your complain because your safety is your health, and your health is your life.

4. Be a responsible motorcyclist

Wear helmets and protective clothing for your safety along the road, in addition to all listed in 1. above.

5. Be a responsible district assembly

Ensure the implementation of road safety policies.

6. Be a responsible National Road Safety Authority

Plan, develop and promote road safety, and coordinate policies related to road safety.

7. Be a responsible MTTD

Ensure the enforcement of Road safety policies.

8. Be a responsible Ministry of Transport

DVLA must ensure best practices for licensing drivers and vehicles to promote road safety. Must ensure road signs for safe use of the roads, road markings, and clear vision along the road when driving and others.

9. Be a responsible media

Inform and sensitise the public on road safety and its measures.

CONCLUSION

Everyone should be responsible to ensure road safety in this festive season because safety is your health, and your health is life. We need you alive for 2020 so drive safe, cross safe to have safe merry Christmas and happy new year. All suggestions are welcome.Thank you.

Written by Kwasi Omaro.