Accident rate in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB) District reduced by 65 percent in 2006 as compared with the year 2005, Mr. Mike Avadetsi, AOB district Police Commander told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Breman Asikuma. According to him five people died and 33 injured in 30 accidents in the 2006 as against 37 deaths and three injured in 51 accidents in 2005. He attributed the causes of the accidents to excessive speeding, overloading, and reckless overtaking and other traffic offences. Superintendent Avadetsi said the reduction of the accident rate last year was due to constant education by both the Police and members of the various drivers Union operating in the Area. He said the MTTU police are on the road not to harass drivers but ensure that they obey traffic regulation to help reduce accidents. The Police commander said most of the drivers involved in the accidents were not from the area and therefore such drivers to be careful because they are not familiar with the road. He said the police would this year be very hard on over-loading, excessive speeding and other major traffic offences and therefore appealed to drivers to obey traffic regulation because offenders would face the law when caught. Superintendent Avadetsi said criminal cases, including rape, murder, defilement, stealing, and causing unlawful damage to properties reduced from 439 in 2005 to 301 in 2006.GNA