A Health and safety expert and director of PB Protection Centre, Mr Philip Nana Asante has called on the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to adopt a compulsory 15 minutes rest breaks for every two-hour journey for drivers to help reduce stress that lead to road crashes in the country.
According to him, many of the accidents that occur in the country are as a result of stress, tiredness and fatigue associated with long journey driving leading to speeding and wrong overtaking by the drivers to get to their destination early to rest.
Nana Asante said the country is gradually losing its human capital to rampant road accidents which had become a dilemma and a daily occurrence which needs to be arrested.
To enforce this, he said the law enforcement agencies such as the Police and the NRSC must ensure that all drivers are placed under a particular transport agency for effective control and monitoring.
Speaking to the DAILY HERITAGE, Nana Asante noted that indiscipline among drivers and road users in the country had reached a point where there must be strict supervision and punitive measures to punish perpetrators.
He said there must be periodic driver re-training programmes by various transport agencies, pre-journey vehicle inspections to check tyres, lights, breaks and safety equipment, such as seatbelt, airbags, first-aid kits, fire extinguisher, spare tyre and emergency triangle among others.
“There should be regular checks by the transport agencies on licenses of drivers, road worthiness of vehicles, corrective and plan maintenance culture must be inculcated in Ghanaian transport and road users at least every three months,” Nana Asante stated.
He revealed that periodic pre-journey medical examination must be introduced to drivers to avoid or reduce the possibility of cardio arrest and other attacks that could lead to road accidents, adding that drivers must go through compulsory senses test at least every three months.
The health and safety expert said the Police Service must conduct periodic substance consumption checks to avoid abuse and culprits found must be severely punished.
Nana Asante said drivers must always try to select and use low risk roads such as motorways or dual carriage ways and avoid busy areas, town or city centres or accident prone spots when driving.
He called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Metrological Department and other industry players to educate and train drivers on how to monitor and interpret weather conditions especially, those who embark on long journey for effective management.
Nana Asante admonished the government to embark on frequent road maintenance, fix portholes, enhance repair of streetlights and ensure that unsafe road conditions are avoided to enhance accident-free environment.
<<Print>>