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In a bid to prevent road crashes often encountered by jubilant party supporters and other innocent road users following the announcement of election results by the Electoral commission, the Upper East Regional office of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA)has embarked on a sensitisation programme for about 1000 residents of some selected communities within the region ahead the December 7 polls.

The exercise which targeted all road users saw personnel from NRSA educate pedestrians, motorists, motor riders and tricycle operators in Bolgatanga,Tongo,Zuarungu, Bongo among others, on the need to walk, drive or ride safely without endangering other road users.

Upper East Regional Head of the National Road Safety Authority,Mr. Dennis Yeribu indicated that the Authority was determined to prevent road traffic crashes that often characterize election years and the Christmas festivities.

“There’s always a surge in road traffic crashes in such periods and it was important we acted proactively. As an Authority we may not have control over the spontaneous jubilation that may greet the announcement of the election results but it is important that we educate the public not to carry the excitement onto the roads as that may result in needless crashes and endanger other road users. Our target is to have a crash free election period and even carry it through the Christmas celebrations” he said.

Planning Manager for the National Road Safety Authority in the Upper East region, Mr. Sheriff Appiah led a team of road safety officials to engage residents, distributed road safety educational materials and played road safety jingles crafted in different local languages at vantage points and through some principal streets within the region.

He intimated that “the reception and feedback was great. Majority of the people we engaged were excited about the sensitization programme and described it as timely. We placed special attention on motor riders and tricycles as they are the worst culprits when it comes to speeding and displaying with their motorbikes on the road. We also urged them to always be in their crash helmets and observe all road traffic rules”.

Fifty-two year old Victoria Ayimbire, a trader at the Tongo market recounted how she lost her grandson through a crash soon after the 2016 election results was announced and was therefore full of praise for the team from NRSA for taking steps to educate the public ahead of the December 7 polls.

She said; “The way the motor riders and tricycles display on the road is so dangerous, my grandson was not even riding but just standing by the roadside observing how the motors were speeding and displaying with their motorbikes and unfortunately got knocked down by a reckless rider.”

Vincent Akayinge, a mechanic in Zuarungu commended National Road Safety Authority for the exercise and urged supporters of political parties to be disciplined on the road.

“It is mostly supporters of the political parties that engage in such fanciful displays as a way of celebrating their party’s victory and end up putting the lives of other road users in danger,so the focus must be on them”, he said.

Meanwhile, Planning Manager for the National Road Safety Authority in the Upper East region, Mr. Sheriff Appiah said that personnel from his outfit will collaborate with the Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Police Service and will be stationed at vantage points soon after the declaration of the election results to ensure that road users obey the traffic rules in order to avert injuries and deaths.