A total of fifty-nine people died in seventy-four accidents on the Winneba-Accra road between January and October 2007 as against twenty in 52 accidents during the same period in 2006.

The Winneba District Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eunice Ida Bosompem disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency at Winneba on Saturday.

She said 248 people received various degrees of injury in 2007 involving 109 vehicles as against 128 in 2006 with 64 cars involved.

The MTTU commander attributed the accidents to speeding, wrong overtaking and over loading, drunk driving, non observation of road traffic signs by both drivers and pedestrian and the parking of vehicles at prohibited or unauthorized places.

"Some drivers also do not maintain their vehicles and when it breaks down they leave them on the road without the warning triangles especially in the night", ASP Bosompem added.

She cautioned drivers to be extra careful to ensure an accident free Christmas.

She suggested an intensification of public campaigns on road safety for drivers in the electronic media, at lorry stations, schools and markets to sensitize the public.

The MTTU commander advised the drivers to study the road signs, rules and regulations on driving to avoid petty mistakes, which could be disastrous.


Source: GNA