The Bono East Regional head of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has disclosed that 66 persons died between January and June this year through road crashes in the Region.
Emmanuel Akyeampong-Parry said 162 road accidents were recorded within the period.
“Thirty-seven of those who died were involved in either motorbikes or ‘Pragya’ (tricycle) accidents, so it means in the region, even cars don’t kill like motor and Pragya,” he said.
Mr Akyeampong-Parry, who said this at a workshop organised by the Techiman Pragya Riders Association, indicated that nearly 57% of the total deaths recorded through road crashes “involve motor riders.”
This situation he described as worrying.
“If you look at the number of people dying through road accidents in the region, you will realise that majority of them are motor riders, and this is because they do not obey simple road traffic regulations,” he added.
With the increasing number of tricycles operating for commercial purposes, Mr Akyeampong-Parry called for a total stakeholder engagement capable of educating and sensitising the riders to help reduce the menace.
He noted that riders who are plying the Pragya trade without licences would be arrested and put before the courts as a means of sanitising the system.
He again attributed the increasing number of accidents involving tricycles to the number of underaged riders and called on the leadership of the Pragya riders to identify them and get them out of the trade.
“Very soon, we are going to embark on absolute enforcement of the law to get rid of underaged riders and persons riding without licences,” he said.