Former Communication Minister in the Mahama administration has said making the process to acquire a driver’s license as rigorous as medical authorities have done for their professionals can help reduce road accidents. 

Dr Omane Boamah, who is also a health policy consultant, believes in the long run, this will change people’s attitudes towards driving.

He explained that drivers, especially commercial drivers have the lives of many individuals in their care when they move on the roads and therefore, are responsible for their lives, as is the case for medical professionals.

“Look at the number of years a nurse would have to train - three years; a doctor six to seven years but a doctor can treat 50-60 patients a day and in the extreme, 100 a day. 

“If a driver is carrying 50 passengers, should there be an accident all these 50 people are at risk. Yet the licensing system is not as rigorous as we see for other professions,” he told Daniel Dadzie, host of Super Morning Show host, Thursday.

Since the beginning of 2020, there have been a series of accidents reported which happen almost every week, with some occurring on the weekends.

Numerous people have died in accidents since the turn of the decade, and have left several others injured and changed lives. 

Dr Boamah added that accident victims are usually manhandled between the scene of the accident and arriving at the hospital because people do not know who to deal with surviving victims. 

“That adds to the mortalities and the morbidities. So we should also have another leg of it, where we are beginning at the level of the schools and TV, teaching basic life support on how to handle injured victims,” he suggested.

“Road traffic accidents are politically blind and do not have any religious affiliations. It takes away everyone regardless of your background. 

“Beyond the deaths, there are injuries and it’s like everybody is potentially prone to having a disability as a result of road traffic accidents we are seeing,” the doctor lamented.

He strongly believes private and commercial drivers will be pleased should the government introduce strict licensing procedures for them.