THE CARNAGE MUST STOP (JAN 13, 2011)

GHANAIANS woke up on Tuesday to the sad news of a fatal road accident on the outskirts of Akomadan in the Ashanti Region.
Fifteen people died on the spot when two Yutong buses collided, while many others suffered serious head and body injuries.
The occurrence of such a gory incident quite early in the New Year must be a matter of serious concern to the agencies charged with ensuring safety on our roads, the government and, indeed, all Ghanaians.
For some time now, many Ghanaians have been expressing their displeasure at the spate of accidents on our highways, leading to the loss of precious lives.
The statistics on road accidents from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service are not to be taken lightly.
Six thousand deaths in three years make road accidents one of the major causes of death in the country, not to talk about loss of productivity, high health bills and pain to bereaved families.
Many Ghanaians heaved a sigh of relief when, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, very few road accidents were recorded, as a result of which the travelling public commended drivers for the achievement.
It must be placed on record that prior to the Christmas and New Year festivities, the MTTU and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) embarked on a vigorous educational campaign to encourage drivers and the travelling public to respect road traffic regulations.
One dividend of those educational campaigns was the reduced accidents on our roads during the holidays, a development which was applauded by the people.
No sooner had the applause died down than Ghanaians had the shock of that fatal accident on the outskirts of Akomadan three days ago.
For our roads to become safe, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks drastic measures must be taken to ensure compliance with road traffic regulations in the country.
The causes of accidents on our roads are inexhaustible, including speeding, drink driving and the use of unworthy vehicles.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the time has come for all to join the crusade to rid our roads of all undesirable users, so that the roads will be safe for the motoring public.
Any move to the contrary or inaction on the part of stakeholders, such as government agencies, transport unions, the police, drivers and the travelling public, can only cause more pain and grief to families who lose their relatives through accidents.
We think public education, without the enforcement of the regulations, will not yield the desired results. The spate of road accidents require that those who break the regulations are punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
Many of the accidents are avoidable because they are caused through human error. Tragedies such as the one on the outskirts of Akomadan can easily be avoided if we all resolve to respect road traffic regulations.
Every soul is needed in our nation-building efforts, while the huge medical bills on road accidents can easily be used to address development challenges in health and education.
Let us be one another’s keeper by policing drivers to play by road traffic regulations. Through that, we may save lives that are dear and close to us.