The Managing Editor of the Young Advocate, a leading children’s newspaper in the Western and Central Regions, Reverend Seth Ameyaw Danquah, has pleaded with drivers to make the roads safe for children.
He appealed to drivers to stop for children to cross the road anytime they see them and slow down when they get closed to school sites.
He further appealed to passengers and pedestrians not to allow reckless drivers to kill the children and endanger the lives of other road users in the country.
He also cautioned children to be extra-careful when crossing the road and avoid all forms of play on roadsides when going to school or returning home
His appeal comes at the heels of 97 motor accidents recorded in the Western Region resulting into deaths.
Rev Danquah said his outfit would run a series of road safety campaigns to educate children in order to save more lives and provide support for a metro-wide lollipop project designed to reduce vehicular knockdowns and road crashes.
He called on the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) to provide more zebra crossings at vantage points, especially near schools and create the awareness on the need to stop for pedestrians, especially children.
He also called on the city authorities and the Motto Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to place men at the various crossing sites.
He noted that the absence of pedestrian walkways and jay-walking undermined pedestrian safety, whereas the speed levels of motorists was a major contributory factor to the severity of injuries and fatalities.
Rev Danquah urged the public and the media in particular, to join in the campaign against indiscipline on the roads and cautioned drivers to desist from taking alcoholic beverages before, driving since such a practice was one of the major causes of road traffic accident.
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