Road Safety Education Has Gone Down - GPRTU

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has expressed discomfort that road safety education in the country has gone down this year.

     It therefore called on the government to adequately resource the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to enable it to intensify road safety advocacy to reduce road crashes.

      Mr Richard Amankwaah, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretary of the GPRTU told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that the work of the commission was very essential in controlling road accidents.

     He observed that it was the mandate of the commission to ensure that all road sector agencies were brought on board for effective road safety campaign, but quickly added that without logistical and financial resources, the commission could not do that.

     Mr Amankwaah said effective collaboration was required between the NRSC, Motor Traffic and Transport Department, GPRTU, Ghana Highways Authority, Department of Urban Roads and the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority for active and efficient road safety advocacy.

     He expressed concern about drivers who parked their vehicles at unauthorised places in the Sunyani Municipality.

     He said it was the work of the police to intensify enforcement, arrest and prosecute the drivers.

     Mr Amankwaah said poor road networks and human error remained the leading contributory factors of road crashes and appealed to drivers to be watchful and adhere to road safety regulation and signals when journeying.

     He also expressed concern about faded road markings and unauthorised construction of speed ramps in some of the highways in the Region.

     Mr Amankwaa called on drivers to ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles and also ensure that they check their tyres and lighting systems.

     He urged the media to support road safety campaign to minimise accidents and needless deaths.