AMA Launches Road Safety Document

By Lawrence Vomafa-Akpalu And Lucy Abeduwaa Appiah

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has launched a road safety strategy document, to help reduce road crashes in the metropolis.

Dubbed: "The Accra Metropolitan Assembly Road Safety Strategy 2018-2030", the document seeks to create a safe, smart, sustainable and resilient modern city devoid of avoidable accidents.

The metropolis recorded 13,059 road crashes between 2011 to 2015, with the highest being 2,979, recorded in 2015, representing 40.6 per cent increase compared to the number recorded in 2014.

Additionally, 2,934 individuals were seriously injured, while 909 others died from crashes in Accra within the period.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mohammed Adjei Sowah, speaking at the launch, said "road crashes are sad occurrences that have ripple effects on the special and private aspects of life, including the trauma services and hospital beds."

This, he said, culminated in AMA's collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies, an initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), to adopt a road safety action, which had begun bearing fruits.

Mr Sowah said the collaboration resulted in the launch of the AMA road safety report, the continuous implementation of the pedestrian safety action plan, the formation of a taskforce to intensify enforcement of the four risk factors, which include helmet use, seatbelt and child restraint non-use, drink driving and speeding and the ongoing work at the Lapaz intersection.

He indicated that the Africa Transport Policy Programme (SSATP) was introduced in 2017, to support the preparation of a road safety strategy for the city of Accra.

The MCE said "with this strategy, we as an assembly ultimately seek to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on our roads."

The targets by the end of 2030, Mr Sowah said, include reduction of fatalities to less than 125 fatalities per annum, less than six fatalities per 100000 population, less than 375 serious injuries per annum, and 350 pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries per annum.

"Critical issues identified are governance and ownership of road safety, legal framework, the design and function of roads, land use, planning and priorities and non-compliance with traffic rules by motor cyclists, driver testing, behaviour of private and commercial drivers, post-crash emergency response and care", he added.

Deputy Director of the Vehicle Inspection and Registration of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Alhaji Iddrisu Husseini, said Accra was no longer safe, and called on other stakeholders to help in making the capital city safe.

Read Full Story