By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, April 03, GNA – The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has cautioned drivers against fatigued driving and urged them to rest adequately during long journeys to help reduce road crashes ahead of the Easter festivities.
It encouraged drivers to take regular breaks during long-distance journeys to avoid fatigue, which could impair judgment and reaction time.
Mr Alexander A. Ayatah, Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Authority, gave the advice on Thursday during a sensitisation exercise at the Linda D’or rest stop near Bunsu Junction along the Accra–Suhum–Bonso Highway in the Eastern Region.
“After every four hours of driving, a driver must stop and rest for at least 30 minutes. Stretch, walk around and regain your energy before continuing the journey,” he said.
The intervention formed part of an ongoing nationwide Visibility Programme being undertaken by the NRSA in collaboration with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to intensify road safety education and enforcement along high-risk corridors.
Mr Ayatah noted that festive periods such as Easter were often characterised by increased vehicular movement, which heightened the risk of road crashes.
“These are the seasons when we record a lot of crashes on our highways. That is why we are here to engage drivers and passengers to prioritise safety,” he said.
Mr Ayatah urged transport operators to comply with regulations requiring the use of relay drivers for long-distance travel to ensure adequate distribution of driving time.
“That is the law. Where journeys are long, there should be two drivers. But where that is not possible, drivers must ensure they rest adequately before continuing,” he said.
Mr Ayatah expressed concern about rising road crash figures, noting that authorities were working to prevent the situation from worsening as the country approached the end of the first quarter.
“The numbers we are recording are alarming, and we do not want this year’s figures to exceed those of last year,” he said.
In the first quarter of 2025 (January to March), Ghana recorded 3,674 road traffic crashes, which resulted in 752 fatalities and 4,384 injuries.
This represented a 23.5 per cent increase in deaths compared to the 609 fatalities recorded during the same period in 2024.
Mr Ayatah cautioned against risky behaviours such as speeding, drunk driving and fatigued driving, describing them as major contributors to road crashes in the country.
He called for a collective effort among stakeholders, including the Police, Fire Service, National Ambulance Service and the media, to intensify public education and enforcement.
Mr Ayatah also urged passengers to support drivers by discouraging unsafe practices and encouraging them to rest when tired.
“Passengers must not pressure drivers to speed. If a driver is tired, they should help him to stop and rest. Safety is a shared responsibility,” he said.
Mr Ayatah appealed to all road users to exercise caution and work together to ensure an accident-free Easter.
“We want everyone to stay alive. Ghana needs all of us. Without the human resource, we cannot develop as a nation,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey