Accra, April 14, GNA - Police Inspector Simon Tenkuu, Public Relations Officer of National Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of Ghana Police Service, on Thursday said about 540 deaths were recorded through motor accidents nationwide during the first quarter of 2011.

He said 1,774 private vehicles and 2,117 commercial vehicles were involved in the accidents.

Insp Tenkuu announced this at the inauguration of General Road Users Safety Association (GRUSA) in Accra.

GRUSA is a non-governmental organisation, aimed at educating and bringing to the fore the need for road users to be safety conscious on the road to reduce the negative impact of road accidents on life and health of the people.

It would complement efforts of the National Road Safety Commission in educating prospective road users at lorry stations, on the highways and at accident prone areas in the country. Insp Tenkuu said out of the 2,989 accident cases recorded within the first quarter of 2011, 400 of them were fatal, 797 were serious and 1,792 were minor cases, 432 pedestrians were knocked down while 3,166 persons received injuries.

He explained that most causes of motor accidents included speeding, talking on phone while driving and fatigue. Insp Tenkuu appealed to the association to collaborate with the MTTU to reduce the carnage on the road.

Alhaji Muniru Suleman, Chairman of GRUSA, said the association would collaborate with institutions and organisations within the road and transport sector to remove broken down vehicles on the road. "We will also engage in all activities that will make life safe on our roads since we believe in 91LIFE FIRST'," he said.

Alhaji Suleman noted that carnage on the roads was a national disaster, which affected the development agenda of the government, saying 93Our country has been deprived for a long time of human capital due to carelessness and recklessness on the roads".

This, he said needed the consciousness of all road users and the association would be offering basic training in road safety for the public through churches, schools and mosques.