Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Stephen Tenkorang, the Bono Regional Commander of the Motto Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Ghana Police Service has advised drivers to remain professional enough to prevent road crashes.

He said road accidents increased greatly during Christmas season and other festive occasions because a lot of people travelled to various destinations, saying that therefore made it imperative on drivers to necessarily drive carefully to ensure zero crashes during occasions to save lives and properties.

DSP Tenkorang gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), after an education and sensitisation programme with drivers about prevention of road accidents in Sunyani, ahead of the yuletide.

He mentioned speeding and lack of regular vehicle maintenance as some major causes of road crashes and therefore expressed worry that some commercial drivers without due regard to those factors only prioritised the opportunity to increase their daily sales without thinking of possible crashes and resultant loss of lives during festive periods.

DSP Tenkorang emphasised that “most commercial drivers nowadays do not care about maintenance of their vehicles but only think of achieving their target sales at the last moment of the year.”

He said the MTTD in collaboration with the transport unions had been organising series of educational programmes for the drivers at the local stations “to remind them of the dos and don’ts on the roads to protect lives and property.”

DSP Tenkorang entreated drivers to observe road signs and also follow driving rules and regulations, saying they must reduce speed by driving 30 to 50 kilometres per hour in town because there might be lots of people buying and selling for the Christmas celebration.

DSP Tenkorang advised drivers to remember always to have all necessary driving documents in their possession to avoid arrest and prosecution before a competent court of jurisdiction.

He added that passengers too must always ascertain if vehicles they were about to board had been insured, saying that could easily be done with one’s mobile phone.

“Just dial *920*57# followed with the registration number of the vehicle and there would be confirmation, either the vehicle had been insured or not before boarding,” DSP Tenkorang explained.

He urged particularly commercial drivers to bear in mind that “they are travelling with their family members and not mere passengers, so there’s the need to accord them with highest sense of security for them to reach their destinations safely.”

DSP Tenkorang stressed that passengers must not quarrel with drivers and mates particularly over fares but could report the conduct of drivers to the Police at any Police check point because drivers must not be made to drive frustrated but needed to focus well on the road for the safety of passengers.