Mr Dennis Yeribu, the Upper East Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has appealed to road users to help curb the incidence of road crashes to save lives.   

He said the surge in road accidents during festive seasons continued to be a disturbing phenomenon and appealed to road users to act responsibly to reduce the menace.   

The NRSA head, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said: "It is our collective responsibility to stop road accidents so that as a road user, endeavour to arrive alive wherever you find yourself".   

He said NRSA had laid down some measures to reduce road crashes as the yuletide approached, including community outreaches to sensitize the public.   

The NRSA would also collaborate with the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and other key stakeholders to champion road safety in the region, he added. 

On Community Outreach plans, he said the Authority would embark on road safety campaign dubbed "Arrive Alive" in some selected Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) in the Upper East Region.   

He said officials from NRSA would educate pedestrians, motorists, and tricycle operators on how to use the road safely without endangering others.   He said the team would also distribute educative materials and play jingles crafted in local dialects to sensitize residents.   

On Publicities, the Authority would embark on radiosensitization for the public on road safety protocols, which would target all categories of road users.   

Provisional accident figures from NRSA in the Upper East Region indicate that 197 cases were recorded involving 334 vehicles with 66 deaths, 59 males and 7 females from January to November this year.  There were also 15 cases of Pedestrian knockdowns, 11 deaths, and a total of 251 injuries.   For election-related incidences alone in December, two accident cases were recorded with one death.