Kumasi, April 25, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Motor Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police Service recorded 262 cases of accidents at the first quarter of this year in which 50 people lost their lives.

The figure rates the Region third in the country in terms of deaths through road accidents after Eastern and Greater Accra regions, which recorded 314 with 86 deaths and 1,795 with 84 deaths respectively. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) James Sarfo Peprah, Ashanti Regional MTTU Commander, made this known at a road safety campaign organized by the National Road Safety Commission in Kumasi on Tuesday. The theme for the campaign, which would be celebrated globally within the week, was: "Improving Road Safety for Young Road Users." He said many deaths were caused by accidents and attributed them to factors including over-taking, over-loading, and the lack of maintenance and neglect of road signs.

DSP Peprah appealed to drivers not to be complacent about the result but continue to avoid such practices to help minimize accidents on our roads.

The MTTU Regional Commander emphasized the need for drivers and other road users to strictly adhere to road signs to check road accidents.

He announced that the MTTU would continue to check drivers who abused motor traffic rules and regulations.

Mr Kwaku Oware Boateng, Road Safety Co-ordinator in-charge of the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions, said 1.2 million people died worldwide through road accidents, according to a United Nations report. He urged drivers and road users to assist the police to check road abuses to help reduce road accidents.

Mr Adom Boateng, Deputy Director of Finance and Administration of the Road Safety Commission, said 40 per cent of the 1.2 million deaths were the youth.

He urged adults to help educate the younger ones through folktales and other conversational ways as a means of helping to curb increasing cases of road accidents.

Mr Osei Amponsah, Regional NADMO Co-ordinator, cautioned drivers to avoid driving above the speed limit, drunkenness and others factors, which caused accidents.