Sunyani, Aug 11, GNA - A five-member committee for Brong-Ahafo Regional Vanguard Best Taxi Driver Award Scheme was on Thursday inaugurated in Sunyani.

The committee comprises road safety experts from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, State Transport Company, Road Safety Commission, Motor Traffic Transport Union of the Ghana Police and Vanguard Assurance.

Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Deputy Regional Minister who inaugurated the committee, commended Vanguard Assurance for its concern to help reduce accidents.

He said 80 percent of road accidents are caused by human errors and asked drivers to be more vigilant on the road and appealed to all insurance companies to emulate Vanguard while trying to minimize road accidents.

Mr Atsu Menyawovor, the Marketing Manager of Vanguard Assurance, explained that the award scheme, instituted about three years ago, was to help curtail road accidents as well as instilling good driving behaviour among drivers, particularly taxi drivers.

He said about 23 taxi unions had registered to take part in the scheme in the region, slated for next month.

Mr Menyawovor said the regional best driver would receive a double-door refrigerator while the first runner-up would take home a 20-inch colour television.

The third best driver would receive a ghetto blaster and all the participating drivers will receive consolation prices and expressed the hope that by 2007 the company would have extended the scheme to the national level.

Nana Kusi Sabi, the Chairman of the Sunyani Taxi Drivers Association, suggested the need for Vanguard Assurance to extend the award to formal training to help equip taxi drivers with the adequate driving knowledge in order to minimize accidents.