At least 208 people were killed in road crashes in the Central Region between January and October this year and 1,194 injured.
The road crashes involved 1, 248 vehicles with 768 cases coupled with 174 pedestrian knock- downs recorded within the same period.
The Central Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Mrs Linda Afotey-Annang said this during a programme held in Cape Coast to observe the World Day of Remembrance for road traffic crash victims.
It was organised by the Central Regional office of the NRSA with personnel of the Police, Ambulance and Fire Service, among other stakeholders in attendance.
The theme for this year’s commemoration was “First Responders”, recognising the selfless men and women who rescue, care for and provide support to victims of road trauma.
Mrs Afotey-Annang further stated that, the rate of road crashes in the region was quite disturbing and made reference to the involvement of vehicles associated with public transportation and said, the region was ranked fifth in terms of road crashes in the country.
She indicated that, the Central Region contributed about 6.4 per cent of the cases reported, 6.1 per cent vehicles involved in the crashes, 7.9 per cent pedestrian knockdowns, 10 per cent fatalities and 9.6 per cent injuries.
She called for a collaborative effort among all stakeholders in preventing road crashes, saying, “It is important to note also that every death is just the tip of the iceberg, with a million more people suffering non-fatal injuries of various severities, many with lifelong consequences”.
Mrs Afotey-Annang noted that, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) was an official United Nations observation, held on the third Sunday of November every year.
She further said that: “It also provides a solemn opportunity for us all to reflect on those who have been lost or irreversibly impacted by road trauma, so often dehumanised into a series of lifeless numbers, and to reconnect with the rationale for achieving road safety”.
The Cape Coast Area Manager of the National Insurance Commission, Mrs Nicholina Adumuah-Ladzekpo, in her remarks, explained that the Insurance Commission would work with the various agencies to ensure the enforcement of road safety laws in the country.
She stated that, no insurance company should charge money from clients before processing any claim.
She appealed to all stakeholders involved in documentation of claims of crashed victims to give a human face to the demands for payments of certain services when there was no receipts covering such demands.
“We agree that there are statutory payments and that should be honoured,” she said.
A crash victim, Patrick Azenyeka, who received an undisclosed amount of money after the service, expressed his appreciation to the organisers for the gesture.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
