The Bekwai Municipality has so far this year, recorded a total of 48 road accident leading to the death of nine persons.
Speaking in an Interview at Bekwai, The Municipal Director of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority, (DVLA) Mr.Robert Agyemang Weitty attributed most of the accidents to drivers negligence.
“Ninety five percent of the country’s road accidents is as a result of the negligence on the part of drivers” He emphasized
Mr Agyemang Weitty attributed the drivers negligence to factors such as fatigue due to long distance travelling without rest.
This is one of the major causes of road accidents and it is advisable that drivers should not drive for four continuous hours without taking some rest. If a driver finds himself in a situation where the body needs rest there is the likelihood that he could doze off behind the steering wheels thus, endangering his own life, passengers and other road users.
He also challenged vehicle owners to maintain regular servicing regime for their vehicles
Mr Agyemang Weitty regretted that regular maintenance of vehicles has become a burden on most vehicle owners and urged them to change defective or worn out parts as soon as they are detected .
“Every vehicle has a maintenance cycle and this should be strictly followed to ensure that it is road worthy t all times as determined by the manufactured as a routine exercise to keep the vehicle safe.”
According to him another worrying challenge facing the road transport system is overloading especially of haulage trucks.
“It is common to find trucks overloaded with goods and in some situations with passengers perched on top of the goods being hauled. This is very risky and should be avoided at all times.” He advised
Mr Agyeman Weitty further stated that the law enforcement agencies have to critically look at this challenge because it endangers the lives of all road users.
Vehicles overloaded with goods and passengers is a situation very common in the hinterland even on the high ways the scenes of haulage trucks fully loaded with food stuffs entering the city centres have become very familiar .
“Such scenes are very disturbing and contributed extensively to road accidents. He noted.;
By:Simon opoku Afriyie
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