The streets and highways of Ghana, once envisioned as pathways to prosperity and progress, have increasingly become death traps due to the reckless behaviour of drivers and motor riders. Every day, innocent lives are lost to senseless road carnage. These drivers and riders, in their pursuit of thrill and speed, jeopardise the safety of pedestrians and other motorists. It’s a grim reality that demands urgent action before more lives are lost.

Human life

Reckless driving has become a hallmark of the Ghanaian road experience. Drivers, with little regard for road safety regulations or the value of human life, often exceed speed limits, ignore traffic signals, and manoeuvre dangerously through crowded streets and residential areas. What’s most troubling is that many of these drivers seem to take a perverse pleasure in their disregard for the rules, treating the roads like personal racetracks.

Motor riders, especially those operating commercial motorbikes, commonly known as “okada,” are equally guilty of this dangerous behaviour. The joy they derive from high-speed riding often blinds them to the dire consequences of their actions.

The stories of road accidents have become too familiar, often with fatal outcomes. Pedestrians, schoolchildren, the elderly, and even families in their homes are not spared from the recklessness of these drivers. Innocent people, through no fault of their own, are killed or maimed, their futures forever altered by someone else’s negligence.

Grief

It’s a cruel irony that while the roads were built to connect communities and enhance productivity, they are now ripping families apart and sowing grief across the country. Many of these reckless motorists seem to have adopted a dangerous mindset that speed and thrill are more important than human life. This disregard for basic traffic laws is not only dangerous but also speaks to a larger cultural problem—one that equates speed and defiance of rules with bravery. Speeding through a residential area or overtaking on a highway with no regard for oncoming vehicles is a flagrant violation of both law and humanity. The widespread nonchalance with which these acts are committed suggests that the current road safety enforcement mechanisms are insufficient and, frankly, ineffective.

The consequences of this recklessness are staggering. According to data from the National Road Safety Authority, road accidents in Ghana claim thousands of lives annually, with many more suffering devastating injuries. The economic cost is equally substantial, as families lose breadwinners, businesses lose employees, and the healthcare system bears the burden of treating accident victims. Yet, the emotional toll—measured in grief, trauma, and shattered dreams—is incalculable.

Drastic and conventional methods

It is time for the government to take bolder steps in curbing this menace. The current approach of fines, driver’s license suspensions, and occasional arrests has done little to deter the most reckless drivers and riders. To tackle this issue effectively, a more drastic and unconventional method may be required. One proposal that merits serious consideration is the institution of a mechanism where soldiers are empowered to discipline reckless motorists on the spot before they are arraigned in court. This suggestion, though controversial, could serve as a strong deterrent.

The rationale behind this approach is simple: a clear message needs to be sent to reckless drivers that their actions will not be tolerated. The swift and direct nature of military discipline could instill a level of fear and respect for the law that the current system has failed to achieve. Lashing reckless drivers and riders may seem harsh, but the question must be asked: what is harsher, a few strokes of the cane or the countless lives lost to road carnage?

Harsher penalties

In addition to military intervention, increased road surveillance, harsher penalties, and public education campaigns are necessary to instill a sense of responsibility among road users. Traffic cameras should be installed on highways and in accident-prone areas, capturing the actions of reckless motorists and leading to swift punishment. Equally important is a national conversation on the value of human life, aimed at shifting cultural perceptions around speed and reckless driving.

Ultimately, road safety is not just a government responsibility—it is a collective one. Every road user has a part to play in ensuring the safety of our highways, streets, and residential areas. We can no longer afford to look the other way while lives are needlessly lost. The time for action is now, before more families are torn apart by the reckless joyrides of those who have no regard for human life.

It is imperative that the government implement stricter enforcement mechanisms, including the involvement of the military, to rein in reckless driving. The lives of innocent Ghanaians depend on it. Road carnage is preventable, and with the right measures in place, Ghana’s streets can once again be safe for all.