By Michael Kofi Kenetey
In order to promote safety on the roads, the National Road Safety Authority, NRSA, Eastern Regional Directorate with support from Vivo Energy and its transporters has launched the 2023 Stop, Think and Drive Road Safety Campaign in Koforidua for drivers in the Eastern Region.
The campaign is also to educate and remind the drivers of the road signs and how to be responsible on the roads.
The 2023 Stop, Think and Drive Road Safety Campaign launched in Koforidua brought together over one hundred drivers across the region from the various drivers groups such as Ghana Private Road Transport Union, GPRTU, Cargo Drivers Association, Koforidua Technical University Drivers Association, Metro Mass Transport drivers, Eastern Regional Coordinating Council drivers, New Juaben North and South Municipal Assemblies drivers among others.
The drivers were taken through the causes of accidents, causes of fatigue during driving such as lack of quality and quantity sleep that can result in road accidents, and first aid practical among others.
In an interview with GBC Sunrise in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Head of the National Road Safety Authority, Nana Akua Ansaah Cobbinah noted that the Road Traffic Regulations of 2012 L.I. 2180 provides that every year commercial driver must upgrade themselves with a refresher training course before renewing their licensing however, most of the drivers have not heed to this provision, hence the need for the campaign to upgrade the drivers with such training.
Mrs. Ansaah Cobbinah noted that the campaign will help educate drivers to drive safely on the roads. She mentioned some causes of road accidents.
The Corporate Communications Manager, Vivo Energy Ghana, Shirley Tony Kum noted that they have carefully selected the regions where road crashes are on the rise for the past three years to embark on such a campaign.
She noted that the objective of the campaign is to raise awareness and help change behaviour and create a safe driving culture on the roads to help reduce road accidents and for the past three years, there has been a decline in road accidents as a result of the campaign.
She added that as an energy company with road transport, one of their key priorities is road safety.
The Principal Industrial Relations Officer of GPRTU in the Eastern Region, Alhaji Salifu Alhassan appealed to government to waive the taxes on vehicle tyres so drivers can buy quality tyres.
He further appealed to the government to expedite action to complete the Koforidua to Mamfe road since the road is in a deplorable state.