Accra, Dec.6, GNA— Motorcycle riders of courier services in the country have pledged to abide by traffic regulations to deal with the bane of road crashes and promote the safety of other road users.
They will also act as ambassadors and set good examples to be a reference point to others who flout the laws.
They made the commitment during a meeting with members of the National Courier Association of Ghana and the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission at the invitation of Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The meeting highlighted some human errors, including disregard for traffic regulations, committed by motor riders leading to various road crashes and how to address them.
The discussions also focused on how riders from courier services could be identified not to be wrongfully accused of robberies.
Briefing the press, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Director-General, Public Affairs, said as part of the deliberations, the courier services were encouraged to provide a special uniform for their riders to allow for easy identification.
ACP Ofori said that could either be done by the courier services themselves or together with the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission.
He advised the motor riders to cooperate with the Police at all levels to ensure their safety as they went about their duties.
ACP Ofori added that in partnering with the Police, they should expose criminals within their fold.
Mr Nii Yeboah Edwin Burgesson, Public Relations and Consumer Affairs Manager, Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission, advised the riders to acquire the right documentation and licenses from the Commission to work without hindrance from the Police.
“The law demands of anyone who wants to conduct courier services to first, get a license. It is only when you have a license that you can fall on the Police to help you when you are facing difficulties,” he added.
He said aside the issue of documentation, the Commission provided the riders with stickers which they displayed on their motorcycles for easy identification by the Police.
Statistics from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), indicate that between January and October this year, 2,380 persons were killed through road crashes in the country.
The MTTD also recorded 13, 244 reported road crashes involving 33,408 vehicles, injuring 12,899 persons.
These figures represent 15 per cent rise in fatalities and about 4.0 per cent rise in mortalities over last year’s.
Over 90 per cent of road crashes are attributable to human errors and indiscipline on the part of road users.
Such acts include excessive speeding, overtaking without due care to other vehicles, driving tired on the part of drivers, jaywalking, non-wearing of crash helmet and passing the red-light.
GNA