The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in the Central Region says it will soon begin assessing measures put in place to curb the increasing statistics of pedestrian knockdowns.
Linda Afotey Annan, Central Regional Head of the authority, in an interview with ATLFMNEWS, said the region witnessed a surge in pedestrian knockdowns in 2021.
According to her, road crashes increased from 978 in 2020 to 1,010 in 2021 representing a 3 % increase while the number of vehicles involved in crashes was 1,507 in 2021 as compared to 1,583 in 2020 giving a decrease of 4.8%.
Ms. Afotey Annan also indicated that persons killed had a 12.8% decrease from 242 in 2020 to 211 in 2021 with persons injured going down from 1,511 in 2020 to 1,442 in 2021.
Pedestrian Knockdowns however had a 2.3% increment in 2021 from 214 in 2020 to 219 in 2021.
Ms. Afotey Annan maintained that assessment has become necessary in order for alternative measures to be put in place to reduce the increasing statistics of pedestrian knockdowns.
To her, the surge in pedestrian knockdowns could only mean that “drivers are not being cautious…and unfortunately most of the pedestrians are getting killed on the road.”
As such, she said, the authority would be assessing the speed calming measures to know the way forward.
“One of the things that we are looking at also is whether the speed calming measures that are being placed on the road, we really want to assess and then come up with other possible facilities that we can put on the road to ensure that we get the pedestrian more safe” she added.
Currently, Ghana is experiencing shorter days and longer nights due to the Harmattan season.
In this regard, Ms. Linda Afotey Annan urged the general public, particularly pedestrians and drivers, to be very cautious to prevent any casualties on the road.
She especially advised pedestrians to be in reflective clothes during the Harmattan season to make them visible on the road.
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Source: Aba Aikins Appah/ATLFMNEWS
