The Tema Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service has said that negligence on the Accra-Tema Motorway is the major contributor to the increasing accidents.

Representing Chief Superintendent William Asante who is the Tema Regional MTTD Commander, Sergeant Richard Timinka, made the statement on the Ghana News Agency's Tema Regional Office and MTTD road safety campaign platform.

The GNA-Tema and MTTD Road Safety Project seek to actively create consistent and systematic weekly awareness advocacy on the need to be cautious on the road as a user, educate all road users of their respective responsibilities, and sensitise drivers especially of the tenets of road safety regulations.

Sgt. Timinka noted that most motorists plying on the motorway and other highways drive recklessly.

Diagnosing the major causes of road accidents, Sgt. Timinka noted that MTTD has also identified fatigue as a contributor as most drivers sleep behind the steering wheel.

He also noted that wrongful stopping of vehicles especially on the motorway and another highway to either pick or drop a passenger is another challenge and called for vigilance at all times.

The Regional Manager of GNA Tema Mr Francis Ameyibor, appealed to all road users to take personal responsibility seriously especially when using the road either as a pedestrian or a driver.

“The first line of protection is personal safety which must be applied whenever crossing the road at any point in time, you must not place your life or safety in the hands of the driver to decide whether to knock you down or apply the breaks or drive into sometime else to save you.

“If you cannot protect yourself, why do you think the driver is in a position to protect you? Cross the road conscious of the associated dangers, avoid all possible distractions such as the use of the mobile device and other engagement and focus on that specific momentary task of crossing the road,” he stated.

Mr Ameyibor also reminded drivers, that the road is not for racing, and exhibition of one’s driving skills, “driving is not for showmanship, it is a serious operational activity which requires ones’ full alertness at all times.

“The rate of accidents is becoming more dangerous than Covid-19 Pandemic, we must all wake-up to protect each other”.