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Editorial

Where are the road markings?

● Complete portions of the road should be marked

Dear Editor,

I wish to commend the on-going construction work on the Tema-Accra Beach road. The portion from Nun­gua to La has been completed and the stretch from La- Ac­cra is expected to be done within schedule.

While I urged the con­tractors to finish hard, I am unable to tell why there are no road markings on parts of the road that had been completed.

Apart from other traffic installations, road markings are important in ensuring the safety of drivers and pedes­trians. It helps drivers to find their lane, especially at night and also direct pedestrians to where they are supposed to cross the road.

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I do not want to believe that the contractors intend to complete the entire project before they mark the road, as expected of them. The road markings could be done simultaneously as the project continued and should not be postponed till later as we are likely to forget.

I, therefore, encourage the contractors to take note of this and do the needful as soon as possible.

Mavis Koranteng, Tema.

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Editorial

Clear the ‘death traps’ on our roads

Dear Editor,

As we leave our homes to our workplaces, markets, schools, churches and other places, we all hope and pray that we return home safely, considering the number of road carnages that we witness or hear about each and every passing day.

Most of these road crashes that often claim human lives and live others amputated are often caused by the disregard to road safety rules and regulations.

Sometimes, one is tempted to ask whether laws work in this country as drivers still drink and drive, engage in unnecessary overtaking, comfortably speak on phones while driving with commuters also carelessly crossing roads and highways at unapproved places.

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It would be unfair to say that authorities mandated to ensure the compliance of road safety rules and regulations, such as the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has not done enough to address the issue. They are doing their best.

They have taken initiatives such as TansportGhana, an ICT interface that would facilitate the licensing and registration of road transport services.

However, one of the issues that I think had not been looked at when it came to road safety is the number of rickety cars that ply our roads on a daily basis. I often refer to such cars as ‘death traps.’

That contribute to the growing number of road carnages in the country.

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Many of these ‘death traps’ are found at various lorry stations. I have had some bad experiences sitting in these ‘death traps’, which have dilapidated seats with protruding sharp edges, and corroded body frames.

Sitting in such cars become a concern for passengers when it rains as they leak badly.

I have also witnessed a passenger whom I was on board with in one of these cars from Madina sustain a deep cut by the protruding sharp edge. I therefore think it is about time these ‘death traps’ are taken off our roads.

As a concerned citizen, I implore the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Authority (DVLA) to check the road worthiness of cars that ply our roads before issuing license to drivers, and also collaborate with the NRSA and the police service to clamp down on influx of rickety cars.

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Joojo Yawson,

Nungua

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Editorial

Enforce road safety regulations to protect lives

Dear Editor,

I write this letter to bring to your notice, the increasing rate at which motorists and pedestrians alike totally disregard road safety regulations in the country.

This form of disregard involves drivers of both private and commercial vehicles as well as motor riders ignoring traffic lights and pedestrians crossing roads at unapproved points, especially on highways.

It is sad to say that these acts by both motorists and pedestrians has led to accidents that had claimed so many lives.

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However, as a country, we seem not to learn from them.

You only see motorists and pedestrians obey road safety regulations when they see a police officer.

But the question I keep asking myself is, do we need to see these officers before we comply with road safety regulations? Definitely not.

As much as I will like to commend road safety regulators such as the National Road Safety Commission and the police service for ensuring that road safety regulations are adhered to, I would urge them to enforce the regulations to the latter to address this issue.

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Of greater concern is the alarming rate of recklessness on the Kasoa highway by young commercial vehicle drivers.

Their attitude have often resulted in altercations with passengers that do the right thing by asking these recalcitrant drivers to drive with caution.

Unfortunately some of the police men (emphasis on some) don not help the situation as they prefer to punish these wayward drivers by demanding monies from them.

I believe that because they are no examples to guide them, they think road traffic regulation can be broken and paid for but what they fail to understand is that there are lives at stake.

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Pedestrians that cross highways at unapproved places should be made to face that aspect of the law, if it exists.

I would urge the motorists and pedestrians to have a change of attitude and stop the disregard of road safety regulations to protect human lives.

Ghana must be saved from its current level of degeneration. There seems to be lawlessness everywhere and only the poor seems to be facing the consequences.

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