Road accidents reduced in 2022 in the Ashanti Region with 3,372 as against 3,680 cases in 2021.
Similarly, fatality cases reduced from 652 in 2021 to 448 in 2022 while injury cases reduced from 4,156 in 2021 to 4,145 in 2022.
These, according to the Head of Corporate Affairs of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Simbiat Wiredu, were as a result of intensive education to create awareness on road safety.
She was speaking at a day’s training organised by the NRSA, for road safety officers selected from the Ashanti and Bono regions at the weekend, as part of efforts to reduce road traffic crashes, involving high occupancy vehicles on long- distance routes.
The training was aimed at educating participant on pre-departure protocols and the use of log books, to enable them to perform their roles effectively.
Ms Wiredu said crashes between 3:00pm and 9:00pm on Saturdays, involved 32 per cent of pedestrians in 2022.
She said concerning bus and mini bus occupants, crashes took place on Mondays between 6:00am and 11:00am, which represented 27 per cent of crashes while crashes involving motorcycles occurred mainly on Fridays between 6:00pm and 11:00pm, which was 22 per cent of cases.
Ms Wiredu mentioned that 14 out of the 16 regions in the country, have routes linking Ashanti region, explaining why the region recorded 20 per cent of cases in respect with the national record.
On locations at risks, she indicated that Kumasi to Accra highway was 32 per cent while vehicles, bus and mini bus, were 36 per cent at risk.
Ms Wiredu said that Kumasi-Techiman highway was 23 per cent at risk with motorcycles being 28 per cent at risk.
She said within the Kumasi Metropolis and Greater Kumasi, the risk rate was 15 per cent while the risk involving private institutional vehicles was 22 per cent.
Ms Wiredu was optimistic that with continuous education, including lorry terminals, road accidents wound be reduced.
Mr Kwame Kodua Attuahene, Director for Regulation, Inspection and Compliance of NRSA, said his outfit had initiated a 10- year strategy action to reduce road accidents.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
