Mary Lawson writes: The menace of road accidents in Ghana

Road accidents and careless driving continue to be a grave concern in Ghana, posing serious threats to public safety. Tragically, many innocent lives are lost and countless others are left traumatized due to the negligence and recklessness of some drivers on the road and a lack of prompt response to accident victims. Recently, a friend from church lost his life when his car somersaulted and plunged into a river, with the responsible party fleeing the scene without stopping. After this incident, there have been constant reports of accidents. These horrific daily reports always trigger a traumatic memory, as I, too, have been a victim of an unprovoked road accident.

I am a communications professional, not an expert in road and traffic regulation; however, through this article, I aim to shed light on the issue of road accidents, serve as a reminder that anyone can become a victim, and emphasize the urgent need for improved road safety measures.

Ghana has been struggling with a disturbing number of road accidents. According to the annual statistics from the National Road Safety Commission, the thousands of lives lost are deeply alarming, as are other fatalities such as injuries, loss of body parts and their functions, property damage, etc.

In this case, careless driving—overspeeding and overtaking without caution, using mobile devices while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and driving tired—are the main causes of road accidents in Ghana. In times past, accidents were mainly reported on long journey stretches; however, in recent times, accidents have been reported inland.

The Accra-Kumasi road, the Accra-Tema motorway, the Accra-Cape Coast-Tarkoradi roads, and roads in some parts of the Volta region and Eastern region are known for accidents. In the desire to “get there quick”, impatience often takes precedence over safety, leading to tragic consequences.

Amazingly, in these long-distance vehicles, you find preachers who preach, warn, and pray against accidents and their causes. Despite warnings from regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, preachers, and sometimes even passengers, drivers often push the limits of their vehicles, often exceeding the speed limits for various towns and endangering the lives of others. Buses such as STC, VIP, Youtong, OA, etc. that were always considered safe are now in the news with accidents every other week in competition with sprinters, tankers, and others.

With the surge in road accidents, it becomes evident that urgent action is required. However, I wonder if drivers on the roads in Ghana will ever learn the importance of responsible driving.

Talking about accidents happening on long-distance journeys, my accident, ironically, happened in Accra. Yes, in the city of Accra at the Tesano-Junction, a few meters away from the Tesano police station, on an early Monday morning with heavy standstill traffic for cars heading towards Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Hence, we cannot discount the fact that accidents are happening everywhere, even in villages.

As I begin to throw light on some of the attributed causes of accidents around the world, I must state that accidents in Ghana are mostly attributed to Careless driving, Overspeeding, Poor road systems, and Vehicle defects. Some causes of accidents are:

Distracted driving: Distractions are activities that take the driver’s attention away from the road. These include but are not limited to texting, talking on the phone, eating, and making-up (as some ladies, including myself, do sometimes).

Fatigue: Driving while tired, drowsy, or falling asleep behind the steering wheel, leads to several accidents as drivers have slower reactions and decreased awareness of dangers on the road.

Over-Speeding and Recklessness: Driving beyond the designated speed limit or too fast, running red lights, disregarding traffic rules, tailgating, etc. reduces the driver’s ability to react to sudden changes or dangers on the road.

Inexperienced drivers: Drivers with limited experience mostly have difficulty handling challenging situations on the road, making them more prone to accidents.

Drunk driving: Driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs always impairs the judgment of drivers and slows reaction times, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Poor road conditions: Potholes (sometimes “manholes”), lack of or inadequate road signage, road markings, lighting systems, and lack of proper road maintenance lead to improper navigation by drivers in cases of challenges on the road.

Poor weather conditions: Poor weather conditions such as rain, fog, and harmattan can make roads slippery and reduce visibility, increasing the possibility of accidents.

Non-Passenger Vehicles: Vehicles originally designed to carry goods converted to carry passengers mostly alter the suspension and other parts, reducing the vehicle’s stability and making it unworthy to carry passengers, e.g., the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.

Some reasons why drivers overspeed in Ghana, according to research, have been attributed to:

– Seeking to beat or reduce the time allotted for the journey

– Speeding in order to make more trips to increase their sales for the day

– Lately, modern vehicles have high performance engines; therefore, the vehicle runs faster and can do over 200 km/h within seconds; hence, drivers do not feel it when they are overspeeding unless they check their speedometer

– Other road users driving slower than the speed limit become a nuisance, impeding other vehicular movements such as heavy-duty trucks, goods-carrying vehicles, fuel tankers, etc.

This brings me to the drivers I want to address. This is not to stereotype them, however, Sprinter (207) vehicle drivers are the culprits in the majority of reported accidents inland. Some of these drivers never consider the lives they carry in their own vehicles when undertaking dangerous maneuvers. In my case, my taxi coming from Achimota was hit by a 207-passenger vehicle (called “trotro” or “troski” as mostly called in Ghana) being driven by an inexperienced driver that was driving at a speed of about 120 km/h from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, unable to stop at the red light, and decided the best way of stopping the vehicle was to climb the median strip and use the traffic and telephone poles as a barricade. The vehicle ended up running into us on the opposite side of the road.

In Kofi’s case, on the other hand, he tried to prevent an accident caused by an oncoming sprinter passenger vehicle that was overtaking another vehicle and lost control in the process, summersaulting, and finally falling in a river with all occupants of his car dying. Sadly, this sprinter driver didn’t stop to offer help.

This is an everyday occurrence with accidents; the perpetrators never stop unless their cars are damaged or they also have casualties. In both cases, as in all other accidents that are reported, most drivers are in a reckless driving situation.

Being a victim, I understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll it can have on individuals and their families. I suffered from a broken tibia on one leg and a broken femur on the other leg, rendering me disabled for months. I also suffered from vertigo (the sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning), which prevented mobility even after I regained my ability to walk, and a partial hearing loss, which has been restored after treatment, thankfully. As earlier stated, severe injuries, lifelong disabilities, trauma, and even loss of life are all devastating outcomes from these road accidents. However, in Kofi’s case, he, a budding writer, family man, and asset to the nation, is dead and gone. The sorrow that his wife, children, family, church, and friends are experiencing is too much to comprehend for a man who was enroute to his hometown to perform the funeral rites of his late mother. These are the exact sentiments shared by everyone who has either experienced an accident or lost a loved one to it.

In concluding the first part of my write-up, I empathize with all victims, past and present, and wish all the departed souls a peaceful rest. I would like to emphasize that road accidents are becoming a menace in Ghanaian society. It is therefore imperative that stakeholders such as the DVLA, Roads and Highway Authority, Road Safety Authorities, police, MTTD, etc. take immediate proactive measures to combat such incidents by:

1. Ensuring good road maintenance

2. Educating drivers and pedestrians on responsible road behavior (public awareness campaigns)

3. Educating drivers on safety precautions and split-second decision-making when driving

4. Ensuring road signs with speed limits, street lights, caution signs, road markings, etc. are erected by the sides and on the road.

5. Enforcing proper vehicle maintenance, such as the usage of appropriate vehicle tires with recommended PSI, a correct braking system, and vehicle suspension.

6. Ensuring that broken-down vehicles on the road are towed immediately.

7. Ensuring that vehicles that pass through the DVLA on an annual basis for renewal are truly roadworthy.

8. Stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, including random checks for driving under the influence, monitoring overspeeding,

9. Enforcing stringent penalties for traffic violators and holding them accountable for the harm they cause will deter such recklessness by other drivers.

10. Establishing an active emergency response system (ambulance service)

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility; therefore, all the above-named government agencies as well as NGO’s, road safety advocates, and citizens must work together to ensure a significant impact in reducing road accidents and safeguarding lives on Ghana’s roads. This is my call to action now.