Ensuring Safety on the Roads at Xmas

Christmas is here again, with all the excitement and anxiety in the air.
We are excited because the occasion once again lends itself to merrymaking.
But many parents are in a state of anxiety because they have to dig deep into the family budget to provide clothing and special food items for their children.
Workers are also disturbed. They examine their budgets for the Xmas festivities, while making sure that the December pay cheques cater for their children’s school fees in January.
Traders are also experiencing mixed feelings, as the long human and vehicular traffic in the central business districts of the commercial centres do not necessarily translate into sales.
Commuters are also worried because at this time of the year transport challenges rear their ugly heads.
The common sight is long queues at the transport terminals due to the rush by travellers to get to their destinations to either shop or get to their home towns for the  celebrations.
This is one period when accident rates go up because of the rush on the roads. Commercial drivers are eager to take advantage of the increased human activities to maximise sales, and in so doing they disregard road traffic regulations, resulting in accidents.
Statistics from the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) indicate that more and more people are losing their lives to accidents on the road. The reason for this sad development is not far-fetched, as it is on record that about 90 per cent of road accidents are caused by human error.
The latest figures released by the NRSC indicate that 26,621 lives were lost through road accidents from January 2000 to September 2013.
This figure although, spanning a 13-year period, is quite frightening, making road accidents one of the major causes of death in the country.
It is also said that Ghana must be competing for the top spot on the list of the most road accident endemic country on the continent.
The Daily Graphic is of the belief that this country can experience accident-free Christmas, or that if there will be accidents, they will be too minor to be of concern to anybody.
At this time of the year, drivers drive at top speed and, by so doing, they disregard traffic regulations. They also overtake at unauthorised places, speed and leave breakdown vehicles on the roads.
Again, in their excitement and the mood of the season, some drivers drive under the influence of alcohol.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the police to desist from turning road checks into ‘cocoa seasons,’ when they allegedly extort money from drivers.
Meanwhile, the Daily Graphic calls on drivers and transport operators to ensure safety on our roads during the Christmas festivities.
Furthermore, we appeal to all road users to heed the advice of the President to speak up against reckless driving to make road transport a pleasurable experience.

Culled from graphic.com.gh / editorial