Respect road safety regulations

According to reports, despite many interven­tions by the Ghana Road Safety Authority (GRSA) and the Department of Urban Roads (DUR), pedestrians at the Tamale-Bolgatanga junc­tion continue to violate road safety regulations.

When the GRSA and the DUR realised that some pe­destrians were crossing the roadway inappropriately close to the interchange, a concrete barricade was reportedly built when the junction opened in March 2022.

Our reporter has observed that the measure has not curbed the menace. In an interview with some of the pedestrians they cited the dis­tance to the nearest crossing point as a reason for disre­garding the barricade.

Others asserted that they were unaware of the barri­cade’s significance or planned use. They did, however, recognise that crossing to the other side carries some risk because there could be an accident with a car using the interchange.

Despite the risks, same obstinate behaviours are also seen in Accra, particularly on the N1 highway and other lo­cations. Some people choose to cross major highways by unapproved routes, even though this behaviour has re­sulted in the deaths of several pedestrians.

The Spectator is worried about the trend and requests that the Metropolitan Assem­bly and other relevant au­thorities launch an awareness campaign to inform pedestri­ans of road regulations so they better protect themselves from death.

Thus, we applaud NRSA’s decision to further up its “Stay Alive!” education initia­tives and include stakeholders in road safety.

To discourage other pedes­trians from acting similarly, authorities must be on the lookout and arrest disobedi­ent individuals. In accordance with Section 3 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (LI 154), it is illegal for a pedes­trian to cross over or utilise an underpass when one is available.

“Upon summary conviction, an individual found guilty of violating this regulation faces a maximum fine of five penal­ty units, a maximum sentence of seven days in jail, or both.”

To stay safe, we also im­plore everyone who uses the roads, especially pedestrians, to follow the laws and guide­lines set forth by the author­ities.