Motorcycle related accidents in the Volta region have increased by over 500 per cent between 2000 and 2014.

This could be attributed to the emergence of commercial motorcycle operation within the period.

Mr Daniel Wuaku, the Regional Manager of Road Safety Commission, said this at this year’s Road Safety awards ceremony in Ho on Thursday on the theme “Recognizing good practices that enhance road safety.”

Mr Wuaku said “system failure and bad behavior” were responsible, needing effective and immediate response.

He said his outfit was working towards engaging commercial motorcycle operators to address the situation.

Mr Wuaku said though “Okada”, motorcycle commercial business was illegal, commercial riders needed to be trained in order to minimize the risk of accidents.

Mr Wuaku said between January and September this year, the region recorded 74 deaths and 455 injuries from road crashes, representing 26 per cent reduction in number of deaths and 4.4 per cent reduction in people injured compared to the same period last year.

He said though the region recorded significant improvement in road safety, one death through road crash was still worrying.

Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, commended the National Road Safety Commission for sustaining the award scheme and advised that it be decentralized.

Progressive Transport Owners Association, Metro Mass Transit and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union came first, second and third, respectively as best transport unions in the region.

Some individuals and institutions were also honoured for their contributions to road safety in the region.

They included Togbe Dunyo II, Chief of Atanve, Cooperative Transport Union, Kuul FM, TOSH FM, Hope FM and a Middle-aged man popularly known as “one-man contractor.”