More than 700 deaths recorded from road crashes in 2021 – WR MTTD Commander
The Western Regional Commander for the Motor, Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Chief Supt. Isaac Kwesi Sorkpah, on Skyy Power FM’s Jolly Breakfast Show made a shocking revelation that more 700 people died from road accidents in the first quarter of 2021.
In his address, he made it known that 771 people died from road accidents from January to March 2021 alone in the country. Out of the 771 people losing their lives to road accidents, 636 of them were male and 135 were female. In his address he noted that more men are losing their lives to road accident which is a very bad situation as they should be cautious whiles driving on the road.
However looking at the regional breakdown, Ashanti region is the leading region with 171 deaths, Greater Accra 146, Eastern Region 127, Central Region 48, Savannah Region 42, Bono East 38, Western Region 35, Upper East 33, Volta Region 30, Bono Region 23, Western North 22, Ahafo Region 20, Upper West 13, Northern Region 12, Oti Region 8, North East 3.
Emphasising on the Western Region, the Commander made it known the region has recorded a total of 423 road accidents which the commercial vehicles involved is 154, private vehicles -155, and motor bikes amounted to 114. The fatal cases concerning the Western Regional accidents is 32 with 35 deaths in the first quarter of 2021 and number of people who were seriously injured was 84. Among the 35 deaths, 15 of the victims were pedestrians who got knocked by vehicles on the road side.
Apparently, 27 out of the 35 victims who died were males and the females amounted to 8 in the Western Region. The major causes of road accidents in the region was due to the behavioural attitude by drivers on the road. Some of the drivers drive under the influence of alcohol and also some drive with distractions such as mobile phones and other materials which prevent them from fully concentrating on the road which needs a 100% concentration.
Also, he made it known some drivers do not fully concentrate on their driving whereas some of them make the wrong choices at the wrong time whiles driving.He said, “Drivers do over taking at the wrong time and also park at wrong locations which all result to accidents.”
Furthermore, the motorbikes accidents keep increasing every year according the statistics provided by the Commander. The region has recorded 13 motorbike accidents deaths in the first quarter of 2021 with 57 people been injured through the accident. Most of the motorbikes do not obey traffic rules and some also disregard safety precautions such as helmets and other safety gadgets.
He wants drivers to be careful and the general public to also be cautious when walking on the road side.
