Road users must enforce discipline themselves – NRSA
By Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has urged all road users to take personal responsibility for safety on the country’s roads, stressing that enforcement and discipline are critical in reducing accidents.
Head of Corporate Affairs at the Authority, Ms Simbiat Wiredu, told Zed News that human error, poor road conditions and the state of vehicles remain the leading causes of road crashes.
She noted, however, that speeding, driver fatigue and disregard for traffic regulations are the most pressing concerns.
“A number of factors are driving the issues: human errors, road conditions and vehicle defects. But most especially, it is the increasing number of vehicles, speeding and drivers ignoring road traffic regulations. Driving while tired is also a major cause of accidents,” Ms Wiredu said.
She explained that the NRSA continues to engage schools, churches, transport terminals and other platforms to raise awareness on safe road use.
However, she admitted that limited funding has slowed down advocacy efforts.
“Unfortunately, the advocacy is not going as planned because of funds. But we are still doing what we can to ensure that Ghanaian road users are safe. We urge everyone, especially pedestrians as vulnerable road users, to be cautious. Drivers and riders must also be more considerate and tolerant to ensure shared road safety,” Ms Wiredu explained.
She emphasised the importance of enforcement, noting that education alone is not enough to tackle road crashes.
“You can’t educate and leave enforcement out. Enforcement is key, whether for drivers, pedestrians or transport operators. But beyond institutional enforcement, every road user must be their own enforcer by being disciplined and responsible on the road,” Ms Wiredu stated.
According to her, the NRSA, together with its stakeholders, has rolled out several enforcement strategies over the years and intends to strengthen these measures in the coming months.
“We use this opportunity to call on transport owners, drivers and every individual to play their part. Road safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone must enforce discipline to protect lives,” Ms Wiredu added.
