Takoradi, March 16, GNA - The Western Regional Secretariat of the National Road Safety Commission is to embark on traffic education for school children, parents and the public this month. Mr Bismark Boakye, Western Regional Coordinator of the Commission, announced this at a press briefing at Takoradi on Thursday. He said the traffic education programme would be undertaken in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES). Mr Boakye who is also the Central Regional Coordinator of the Commission, said the programme was to reduce the high incidence of pedestrians being knocked down in the region and most of the victims were school children between four and 15 years. He said it was also to educate school children on how to cross the road safely.

Mr Boakye asked parents to complement efforts of the Commission by educating their children on road safety at home. He advised drivers not to speed more than 50 kilometres per hour in town and about 30 kilometres per hour in densely populated areas to prevent accidents. Mr Boakye said some accident prone areas where pedestrians were knocked down frequently in Sekondi-Takoradi were, Adiembra Junction-Kweikuma road, Kwesimintsim Roundabout-Assorko Essaman road and Axim road. He said the Commission would organise drivers' awards day in April this year to reward the best driver, well dressed driver and best accident free driver.

Mr Victor Adusah Poku, Western Regional Commander of Motor Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, said over-speeding and lack of consideration for other road users caused most road accidents in the region. He said 14 road accidents were recorded in January this year, seven in February and so far, six had been recorded this month. Mr Poku said seven of the accidents were fatal while 12 pedestrians had been knocked down so far this year. He said the MTTU lacked small vehicles to control traffic and prevent accidents. Mr Poku said the success of road safety campaigns depended on the presence of the Police on the road to check the behaviour of drivers.