Decline in road accidents -Commission

Accra, Nov. 4, GNA - Contrary to recent media reports, road accidents have declined by an average of about 22 per cent in the country, the third quarter report of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has indicated.

The report said persons killed in road accidents had reduced daily from five to four this year compared to 2004.

Addressing the Media on Friday, Mr Noble John Appiah, Executive Director of the NRSC, said: "Contrary to public perception now, there is a clear reduction in the trend of accidents.

"This has been possible because of the combination of activities by the various stakeholders in the road sector as well as other equally important measures put in place," he noted.

Mr Appiah explained that because the media highlighted on the recent cases of accidents, which took away the lives of prominent personalities, many people believed that the situation was rather getting worse.

He said total persons killed between July and September this year reduced to 368 as compared to 470 in 2004 within the same period. Total number of vehicles that were involved in accident between the periods also reduced to 4,581 this year, from 6,105 in 2004. The Road Safety Executive Director; noted that Ashanti Region still remained the most accident-prone zone followed by Greater Accra, Eastern and Brong Ahafo Regions in that order.

Mr Appiah stressed the need to intensify education on road safety to further reduce the trend in spite of the achievements, especially before, during and after the Christmas festivities. He said November 21 to 27 had been designated as National Road Safety Week to further intensify the education.