By Emmanuel Gamson
Beposo (W/R), April 07, GNA – The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has cautioned drivers against using drugs and other energy enhancement substances while driving.
Assistant Narcotics Control Officer (ANCO) Andrew Garshong, Cape Coast Metropolitan NACOC Enforcement Head, said those substances were harmful, and could put drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and other road users at risk of accidents.
He said this when the Western Region Office of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) teamed up with their counterparts in the Central Region to embark on a joint enforcement and safety education at Beposo along the Takoradi-Cape Coast N1 highway.
It was held in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, and NACOC.
ANCO Garshong said: “Some of the drivers go about mixing energy drinks, drinking alcohol, and all sort of substances to boost their energy, but those things put all road users at risk so they should desist from such acts.”
Mr Victor Kojo Bilson, the Western Regional Head of the NRSA, said the Authority had observed that road traffic crashes were becoming a national security concern, hence, the need to intensify their educational and enforcement mechanisms to help reverse the trend.
He said ensuring road safety on the road was a shared responsibility, and called on drivers, passengers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and other road users to observe safety rules to ensure everyone stayed alive.
Mr Bilson cautioned drivers to avoid excessive speeding, overloading, wrongful overtaking, and driving tired, while ensuring regular maintenance of their vehicles to help guarantee safe travels for all during the festive season.
Mr Eric B. Owusu, Technician Engineer at the Takoradi DVLA Office, advised drivers to ensure that their vehicles met the approved roadworthy standards, while also having their licence and other documentations intact.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Linda Asante Agyei