We’re in March. Road accident statistics are only available for January and February.

But already, we have recorded 517 deaths! 

Motorbikes continue to be a huge source of peril on our roads. In the first 2 months of the year 974 motorbikes have been involved in accidents and 2766 pedestrians have been knocked down by both cars and motorbikes.

 It’s hard to understand why these riders have so little regard for their own safety, according to DSP Alex Obeng (director in charge of education and training of the MTTD), who spoke on  the super morning show to Kojo Yankson, it’s a perplexing problem with no easy solution.

When you watch footage of some of these accidents (see video attached) their behavior will make even less sense to you.

Do motorcycle riders think they are invincible?

The unfairness of these accidents is that you can follow every rule and act with caution and yet be killed or hit by a motorcycle.

The Ashanti region is leading in terms of number of cases reported, followed closely by Eastern Region and then the Greater Accra Region. See attached breakdown.

DSP Alex Obeng (director in charge of education and traning of the MTTD) said in the past 3 years the numbers have been disastrous.

Out of 100 accidents, about 48 are motorcycle death related. Two hundred and twelve out of the 517 deaths recorded this year are motorcycle related.

There are unlicensed, incompetent, disqualified riders on these bikes who are constantly trying to evade police stops by refusing to stop at traffic lights, junctions and stop points, there is, however, a big gap in the law that governs motorcycle use, and what is not legalised has become the norm.

So what can be done?

Well for one more education and definitely stricter enforcement, we will like to take this opportunity to plead with the police to strictly enforce the laws and rules that govern motorcycles, for our lawmakers to create policies that solve these problems even if the solutions are unpopular and to the motorbike riders, please observe traffic regulations and lets all arrive alive.