The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has rolled-out vehicle pre-departure checks at bus terminals to ensure their road-worthiness before embarking on the journey.

Mr. Kwasi Agyenim Boateng, the Bono Regional Manager of the NRSA, said the exercise formed part of intensified efforts to control road crashes and fatalities on accident-prone highways in the region.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the exercise at Wenchi, Mr. Boateng said road accidents required concerted efforts to control and implored stakeholders, including transport unions and passengers, to support the exercise.

He explained that the daily exercise would be conducted at all bus terminals and lorry stations, saying all non-road-worthy commercial vehicles would not be allowed to move.

“The exercise is to ensure that commercial drivers meet all road safety requirements on their vehicles. We also check fitness level of the driver and vehicle maintenance to ensure safety on our highways,” Mr. Boateng said.

He said personnel of the Authority would also check certified reflectors on vehicles to improve visibility at night and ensure they had advance warning triangle, standard tires, wipers and good lighting systems.

“The exercise would also ensure that vehicles have good emergency exit doors, fire extinguishers and seatbelts,” Mr. Boateng said, and commended transport operators in the region for their cooperation in reducing road accidents.