Ghana is among countries
in the highest accident occurrence bracket in the world. This is not an
enviable record because it just shows that many citizens either die or get
maimed while travelling on the country’s highways.
While some of these
accidents are caused by the drivers on whose vehicles these passengers are
travelling, others are triggered by motorists of other vehicles sharing the
same road.
In both scenarios, however,
the accidents are avoidable. All efforts to stem the spate of accidents have so
far not registered the desired outcome. Passengers can under the circumstances
just fold their arms as they risk their lives on commercial vehicles on the
country’s highways praying for safe arrival at their final destinations.
Although in the past few
months, we have been spared stories about mass deaths in single accidents; that
is not to say that something monumental has been done to restore the necessary
road discipline on our highways.
Last week, a new
inter-city bus terminal was inaugurated at Circle, Accra. The company wants, of
course, to be different as they tout measures to ensure safety of their
passengers.
We find the novelty in
monitoring adherence to speed limits set by the company welcoming. Drivers
exceeding the company’s set speed limit would, of course, be sanctioned. The
expected positive results from this measure including the ability to report bad
drivers to the authorities would serve as modules for emulation by other
companies.
Recognised commercial
transport companies should be engaged consistently by the relevant agencies in
road safety with a view to eventually fashioning a roadmap to ensure sanity on
our roads.
We are still convinced
that with the appropriate measures accidents on our highways can be reduced to
the barest minimum.
We especially want to have
the module of the 2 M Express Bus Service of compulsory adherence to speed
limits replicated by other companies especially the big brands such as VIP and
the others.
Until the government is
endowed with funds to dualise our major roads, the dangers posed by overtaking
will persist. Commercial bus drivers should be educated and even discouraged
from overtaking as much as possible.
The State Transport
Company (STC) has been consistent with their safety record – a fact
attributable to strict adherence to discipline as laid down by the company.
Elsewhere in this edition
three DCEs are in critical condition after vehicles on which they were travelling
were involved in an accident in the Northern Region.
They might have survived
the accident but the criticalness in which they are is worrying. Looking at the
wreckage of the vehicles is heartbreaking; the DCEs escaped death by the
whiskers.
It would be important to
know what caused the accident because this would offer lessons on how to avoid
future occurrences.
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