By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Dec. 28, GNA – The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has urged all road users, particularly passengers to speak up against reckless driving by motorists.
Mrs. Linda Affotey-Annang, the Central Regional Head of the Authority, appealed to passengers not to allow drivers to endanger their lives and that of other road users.
She made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the side-lines of a sensitization programme for drivers plying the Takoradi-Cape Coast-Accra highways.
The exercise was backed by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the National Insurance Commission (NIC).
It forms part of the “Alive Campaign” to engage passengers and pedestrians at lorry parks, in schools, and in traditional and religious institutions to sensitize them on road safety.
The campaign, among other objectives, was to induce positive behavioural change among road users to observe and advocate compliance of road traffic regulations and to report infractions while eliciting commitment to safety.
The campaign exposed road users to be more conscious, more involved, more responsible, and more accountable and to accept full responsibility for the carnage on the roads rather than attribute it to the work of the devil.
Ms Affotey-Annang said enforcing road traffic regulations and cracking down on indiscipline behaviours of drivers was a collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
She said the Commission in the past, organized data-led campaigns on speeding, fatigue driving, drunk driving, helmet use, passenger empowerment, and pedestrian safety, among other issues.
Being aware of the practices of road users was important to reflect and focus on the issues that contributed to crashes affecting travellers during the festivities.
For Pedestrians, Ms Affotey-Annang urged that they must always checked their surroundings when on the road, and look out for safe crossing facilities like pedestrian crossing points or footbridges when crossing the road.
Ms Affotey-Annang cautioned all to give drivers enough indication of their intention to cross the road, avoid unnecessary obstructions and interference, and stay focused when crossing.
The use of phones while crossing at the designated zebra crossing, footbridges, near intersections, junctions and near roundabouts must be avoided.
She advised the public to be cautious on the road and develop a positive road safety culture in their collective effort to help reduce road fatalities and associated injuries and pledged the Authority’s continuous commitment to sustain public education to reduce carnage on the roads.
GNA