Road accidents claim 1,800 lives annually in Ghana – DVLA Manager
About one thousand, eight hundred people die annually in Ghana through road accidents, Mr. Emmanuel T.K. Narh, Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has disclosed.
He said the months of April and December register the highest road crashes every year, adding that April and December are noted for that, because of the booming economic activities during those periods, as a result of the Good Friday/Easter and Christmas festivities.
Mr Narh who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Monday, following the release of a report of research conducted by DVLA Brong-Ahafo, about causes, managing and curbing road crashes in the country, stated that 18 percent of the accidents occur between 1800 hours and 2000 hours of the day.
The Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of DVLA, and leader of the research team, said it was one of the core priorities of DVLA, in contributing its quota to reduce or totally eradicate road carnage through its end of year public education/message, via the print and electronic media.
The report revealed that five regions, namely, Ashanti, Eastern, Greater-Accra, Central and Western, accounted for 80% of road accidents in the country, he added.
Mr Narh revealed that at least between four and six persons are killed in road traffic crashes daily, stressing 42 percent of fatalities on the roads involve pedestrians, whilst 23 percent of pedestrians fatalities involve children below the age of 16, and 60 percent of crashes are caused by speeding.
The DVLA Manager for Brong-Ahafo noted that mini-bus vehicles account for 35 percent fatalities crashes, adding that people from 18 to 55 years, form 60 percent of the total amount of fatalities on the roads and 70 percent of such fatalities involve males.
He stated that in spite of all awareness creation by the DVLA in the region and the country at large, four main causes of road accidents, consisting of poor weather condition, poor road conditions, mechanical failure and human error, the most dominant, had been identified.
Mr Narh indicated that series of researches and surveys conducted, coupled with experience, had shown that the majority of road accidents within the first, second and third quarters of the year emanate from the concept of Hidden Hazards.
“Hidden Hazards are dangers not seen, but pose a great threat on human lives”, he said.
He advised that to avoid road accidents drivers, earth-moving machine operators and motor-cyclists after planning their journeys, should ensure and adhere to “the condition of the vehicle/motor-bike, nature of the roads, the means of effective road communication gadgets and the speed limit.”
He said “the qualities of responsibility, consideration, observation, concentration, confidence, anticipation, high level of tolerance are all the hall mark of any defensive driver,” saying, meticulous observation of these qualities led greatly to the prevention of road accidents.
Mr Narh noted that human and vehicular traffic are normally experienced before, during and after the Christmas festivities, and therefore, advised drivers and pedestrians to be very cautious in going about their activities.
A mistake by a Medical Doctor during surgery would cost a single life, but that of a driver with passengers on board his or her vehicle, would cost the lives of many people if not all, he emphasized.
Source: GNA