Regional News of Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Source: GNA

Eastern Regional Road Safety Commission to re-train drivers

Koforidua, June 10, GNA - The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the Road Safety Commission is to set up a school to re-train drivers to help reduce accidents. Mr Stephen Anokye, Eastern Regional Manager, Road Safety Commission, told the GNA in an interview that the measure had become necessary because it had been realized that most drivers were not conversant with road safety regulations.

He said the programme would begin as soon as funds were available adding that for the meantime the commission had decided to test drivers on the highways with alcohol sensors. Mr Anokye said the commission had set up a monitoring team with the task of stopping vehicles on the highways to educate both drivers and passengers on dangerous driving. He said the involvement of passengers on the education campaign was necessary because it had been realized that some of them out of ignorance forced drivers to over-speed. Mr Anokye said passengers would be educated on the need to report dangerous driving on part of drivers to their unions or to the Motor Traffic Transport Union (MTTU). He said Kyebi Division of the MTTU was identified as an area with the highest road accidents and that it recorded more than half of total accidents in the region last year. Mr Anokye said the commission would soon launch a programme to educate drivers to be extra careful on the Kyebi/ Nsawam road. He commended Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, on his assistance to the commission so far.