Drivers of VIP buses are the most indisciplined – MTTU boss

The Assistant Inspector of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of Ghana Police Service, ASP Alexander Obeng says bus drivers are the most undisciplined roads users in the country.

ASP Obeng stated that recent accident cases recorded have revealed that drivers of buses, especially VIP buses, do not abide by road regulations thus causing avoidable accidents.

ASP Alexander Obeng made these revelations in an interview with Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Adom Fm’s Dwaso Nsem programme on Thursday.

He disclosed that about 895 deaths were recorded through motor accidents nationwide from January to May 31 this year. He said 5,023 vehicles were involved in the accidents.

ASP Alexander Obeng said out of the 5,023 accident cases recorded within the period, 895 of them were fatal, 797 were serious and 1,792 were minor cases, 778 pedestrians were knocked down while 5,185 persons received injuries.

He explained that most causes of motor accidents included speeding, talking on phone while driving and fatigue.

He added that the accidents were caused by speeding, drunk-driving, overloading of vehicles and wrongful overtaking among other factors, and promised that the police would strictly enforce road and traffic regulations to make roads safe.

According to him, road safety had become public health and development issues, which must concern policy makers if Ghana was to attain a single digit fatality target by 2015.

In a related development, Member of Parliament for Asante Mampong, Mr. Francis Addai-Nimo has stated that the country annually loses about GHC 1 billion through motor accidents.

He expressed the fear that if motorists continue to exhibit poor driving regulations the nation will have to channel virtually its financial commitments to the road sector, making the government lose concentration on other important sectors.

Mr. Francis Addai-Nimo urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to increase the practice of routine maintenance on deplorable roads especially during the rainy season.

He also charges on the National Road Safety Commission to re-educate motorists on the basic safety measures on the road to prevent the high number of road accident cases.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Road and Transport, Kofi Boapong has described the recent high number of accident cases as disturbing for a third world country like Ghana.

Mr. Boampong who also spoke on Dwaso Nsem, said contractors lack financial assistance to enable them smoothly execute their contracts. Kofi Boapong admits that there is the need for authorities of the national road safety should re-educate motorist and consistently remind them of the regulations on the road.

He called on the Media to complement efforts of the National Road Safety Commission in educating prospective road users at lorry stations, on the highways and at accident prone areas in the country.

Story: Samuel Mantey/Adomonline/Ghana