Cape Coast, Jan 19, GNA - Deaths resulting from road accidents in the Central Region reduced from 110 in 2007 to 105 in 2008, due to intensified public education by the regional command of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU).

ASP Frederick Asare Mensah, Regional Commander of the unit who made this known to the GNA on Monday, said but for the accident involving the STC bus at Dompoase junction near Komenda in which about 19 people died, the number of deaths would have been much less, last year. Touching on the unit's public education, he said, knowing that the number of accidents increased during every election year, it intensified education through the FM stations, various transport unions, at lorry stations and "one on one" police-driver interaction. He noted that this yielded the desired result, hence the reduction not only in fatalities but also in the number of injured and vehicles involved.

ASP Mensah said in 2008, 551 accidents were recorded as against 589 in 2007, with the number of critically injured reducing from 150 in 2007 to 137 in 2008.

He said those who sustained various degrees of injuries in 2008, were 864, as against 1,215 in 2007, with 729 and 898 vehicles involved respectively.

He appealed to motorists and the general public to abide by road traffic rules and regulations to reduce avoidable accidents this year, to help reverse the image of the country, as an accident prone country.