GhIE Calls for Awareness to Cut Down Road Crashes

The Ghana Institution of Engineering has called for increased awareness and education among motorists to stem the increasing number of road crashes across the country. While the institution recognizes that there are road traffic regulations, their impact can only be realized fully when drivers are properly educated on their roles and responsibilities behind the wheel.

This urgent appeal comes in the wake of a spate of accidents, particularly along busy roads like East Legon, the Accra-Kumasi Highway, and the Kumasi-Obuasi road. Such accidents point out the urgent need to drive improvement with a united effort in road safety.

Instead of fines for petty issues, what police officers do is warn them and get them to reflect on their responsibilities, especially when commercial drivers carry large numbers of passengers," he pointed out in an interview with Citi News recently. Ing. Kwabena Bempong, the President of the GhIE, urged law enforcement agencies not to restrict their operations to the traditional enforcement measures but to continually engage drivers through various forms of reminders on road safety.

Ing. Bempong also advised all drivers to drive defensively, especially with the country soon entering the busy holiday period and the general election season. He said these periods make drivers feel very comfortable on the roads and tend to drive anyhow:

"Let us be cautious, especially with the approaching festive and election seasons. Defensive driving, where one is always prepared for something going wrong, saves lives from accidents," he said.

The GhIE's call to action emphasizes that the subject of road safety is not solely the responsibility of the driver himself but involves education and constant awareness in trying to reduce the rate of road crashes during high-risk periods.