As part of efforts by the Regulations, Inspections, and Compliance (RIC) Directorate of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to reduce crashes in the Eastern Region during this festive period, the Directorate at the national level in collaboration with the Eastern Regional office of the Authority and the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) embarked on a three-day enforcement exercise on the National Highway 6 (N6) during the Christmas festivities to help ensure safety on our roads.

The enforcement exercise was conducted at three different stops on the N6 particularly, Apedua Junction, Asafo Junction, and Bunso Junction.

The focus of the enforcement exercise was on compliance with the two-driver policy, the removal of unprescribed vehicle lighting (killer lamps), and the usage of seatbelts.

The Eastern Region together with the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions contribute about 50% of all nationwide crashes in the country.

This according to Nana Akua Ansaah who is the Eastern Regional head of the National Road Safety Authority, makes the Region a target area for the RIC Directorate to concentrate on deploying a series of enforcement exercises to help curb the menace on our roads.

On his part, Head of Regulations, Inspection, and Compliance (RIC), one of the prominent Directorates of the NRSA, Kwame Kodua Atuahene, explaining the mandate of the NRSA, said it is part of its responsibilities to reduce road crashes in the country.

“When the NRSA was a commission, it was charged with the responsibility to promote road safety and increase public awareness. However, Act 993 specifies that NRSA reduces incidents of road crashes and its resultant death and injuries," he explained.

Seth Wiredu, Assistant Planning Manager at the Eastern Regional office of the NRSA explained that the exercise was not the first of its kind as it had been in place over the past two years, adding that the activity provided an avenue for the Authority to sensitize drivers on the need to adhere to the use of seat belts and other safety requirements.

He called on the entire populace to act as road safety ambassadors as the NRSA couldn't do it alone.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is the statutory body mandated to plan, develop, promote, coordinate, and regulate road safety activities in the country with the objective of reducing incidents of road traffic crashes, injuries, and deaths (CIDs).

With offices in all 16 regions of the country, the regional offices do contribute their quota in ensuring safety in their respective regions, which adds up to the National agenda for accountability.