325 deaths recorded through road traffic accidents in Ashanti Region – NRSA

The surge in road accident fatalities in Ghana has been described as troubling and scary by road users.

The latest road accident figures show a 10 percent rise in mortality within the first half of the year with Ashanti Region leading in the number of casualties.

In spite of intensified awareness campaign and education on road safety issues, carnage on our road remains at an alarming rate.

1,237 lives have been lost between January and June 2024 through road accidents. Ashanti Region alone recorded 325 casualties; a 67 percent increment over the 2023 figure within the same period. The huge jump is a concern to road users.

“Over 300 deaths in just 6 months in the region is not good at all. Using the road is not too safe these days. More needs to be done by regulatory authorities to sanitize our roads”, Florence Afriyie Mensah, a road user shares.

Augustus Ceasar, a journalist indicates “the figures are scary, especially for those of us who are always on the move, sitting in a car for long distances on daily basis. It’s about time the road safety laws are enforced to the fullest to make our roads a bit safer”.

Over one hundred of the reported casualties were as a result of pedestrian knockdown, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has revealed.

“Pedestrian knockdowns are high. 186 pedestrians were knocked down and 148 died in the Ashanti Region. And more worrying is that, in some areas, traders have taken over pedestrian walkways. We need a lot of enforcement in this area”, Ashanti Regional Manager of NRSA, Kwasi Agyenim Boateng explains.

Poor lightening system within the Kumasi city is said to be a contributory factor to the rampant pedestrian knockdown as most of the crashes is said to occur in the night.

The Road Safety Authority wants the police to reinforce visibility especially at night to minimize carnages.

“Excessive speeding is a general problem. At least, with the presence of the police on the road, it puts fear in recalcitrant motorists”, Agyenim Boateng proffers.

The Authority has begun the formation of district road safety committees as part of activities to improve sanity on our roads.

The public expects stakeholders to step up efforts to minimize the loss of lives on the road.

The post 325 deaths recorded through road traffic accidents in Ashanti Region – NRSA first appeared on 3News.

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