School children have been advised to be extra vigilant, cautious and obey road traffic signs to safeguard their lives when crossing the road.

This was made known at the fourth edition of the annual Junior Road Care programme by Vivo Energy Ghana in partnership with Applause Multimedia, the National Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Education Service.

Junior Road Care is an interactive programme aimed at influencing the attitudes and behaviours of children to become more conscious on the road as pedestrians, cyclists and responsible future drivers. This year’s event attracted over 700 school children from 25 basic schools in the Greater Accra Region to learn, share and compete in road safety quiz, drama, poetry and art.

In his speech, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Mr. Ben Hassan Ouattara lauded Ghana’s effort at curbing road traffic accidents but noted that despite the efforts, the menace still exist.

“According to the National Road Safety Commission, children aged under 16 constitute about 13% of road traffic crash fatalities in Ghana, and about 23% of pedestrian fatalities. Although there have been some minimal improvements in the proportion of children involved in crashes over the past five years, these statistics are worrying; especially when the future of this country hinges on a healthy and empowered youthful population full of potential to champion the growth agenda of this country”, he said.

Mr. Ouattara used the platform to appeal to drivers to be cautious and obey road traffic regulations on the road to preserve lives, properties and the environment.

In a speech read on her behalf, the Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission, Mrs. May Obiri Yeboah commended Vivo Energy Ghana for continuously championing road safety education and best practices in Ghana.

According to her, the strides made in the road safety fight were as a result of the conscious efforts and implementation of road safety programmes by corporate organisations like Vivo Energy Ghana.

“Four years of commitment to ensuring that school children are taught about road safety. I must commend Vivo Energy Ghana for relentlessly leading the fight against road incidents involving school children. Let me use this platform to caution children to always obey the road safety signs. I will encourage teachers and parents to also assist children when crossing any road. The education must continue until we record no deaths”, she said.

At the end of the competitions, Mamprobi 1 Basic School emerged winners of the quiz, while ANT Experimental school won the Arts competition. Lincoln Montessori School was judged winners in both the poetry and drama competitions.