Sixty per cent (60%) of road crashes, particularly pedestrian knockdowns are speeding-related, speakers at a day-long road safety engagement forum in Accra have said.
Tyre bursts, brake failures, overloading and bad roads are some of the major contributing factors but speeding has been identified as a key contributor.
The forum, which was organised by the Legal Aid Resource Centre, with support from the Bloomberg Initiatives for Global Road Safety Partnership to implement a project which aims at using advocacy interventions towards the passage into law of the Road Traffic Act and the development of standards for motorcycle helmet, is geared towards the implementation of the deliverables.
Over 50 participants drawn from various commercial transport unions, road safety consultancy firms, driving schools, and the State Transport Company Limited deliberated on possible ways of reducing road crashes.
The Executive Director of Legal Resources Centre, Ms. Daphne Lariba Nabila said the advocacy campaign is a two-year project which commenced in June this year to support the Ministry of Transport and National Road Safety Authority to amend the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180).
The LI has been re-laid in Parliament after it was withdrawn recently with the amendment of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) with a focus on speeding.
The Advocacy Campaign also aims to collaborate with partners to support state agencies such as the Ministry of Transport, National Road Safety Authority, Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority, and Ghana Standards Authority to develop standards for motorcycle helmets.
Ms Lariba Nabila said the purpose of organising the programme for transport unions was to bring them together to speed up the review processes of the Road Traffic Act, 2004, and the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulations 2024, adding that it also seeks to solicit concerns towards the amendment of the Road Traffic Act on speed management to allow local authorities (metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies) to manage their local roads.
Ms Daphne Laariba Nabila was worried that Africa is the world’s least motorized region accounting for just 3% of the world’s vehicles and yet it records the highest rate of road deaths.
According to her, the World Health Organization (WHO) pegs the rate in Africa at 26.6% deaths per 100,000 people.
The WHO 2023 status reports that road crash deaths rose by 17% in Africa.
On his part, the acting Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority, David Adonteng expressed worry about the situation and blamed it on behavioural factors.
Between January and June 2024 only, a total of 1,237 deaths and 7, 561 injuries have been recorded in road safety crashes in Ghana, according to National Road Safety Authority.
Wrongful overtaking, failure to observe traffic signs, speeding, etc. continue to remain the main causes of road crashes.
“Speeding, has become the lone ranger in killing people, maiming them, and destroying properties, said Mr David Adonteng”.
Mr Adonteng disclosed that that from next year National Road Safety Authority will introduce camera technology in Ghana to monitor drivers, especially on highways.
The design and installation of all the devices have all been done awaiting implementation.
Mr Adonteng warned that with the new system, fifth-time offenders who will make multiple court appearances will have their licences revoked permanently.
Addressing participants, the MTTD Director of Education, Research and Training, Chief Spt. Alexander Obeng, said MTTD has launched an automated system developed by the Ghana Police Service to enforce road traffic laws and regulations to improve road safety in Ghana. The system uses cameras and sensors to automatically take a picture and/or video of vehicles that flout road traffic laws and regulations such as speeding and jumping of red light.
The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) is a human rights non-governmental organization committed to the realization of human dignity by building human rights capacities. The centre seeks to ensure human rights for all. It works towards the promotion and protection of the rights to health, safe transport, education, housing, work, participatory democracy, personal liberty, civil justice and crime.
These are carried out through public human rights education, community mobilization activities, legal aid, alternative dispute resolution services, research, advocacy and publications.
The organization supports efforts in advocating for road safety in Ghana through legislative and policy reviews.
Source: David Andoh
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