The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) Act is to be reviewed to make the commission an authority, with the renewed mandate to demand compliance and a higher road safety standard from key stakeholders. The Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, who announced this in a speech read on his behalf during a mid-year review conference by the NRSC, said, “A draft, introducing 13 new innovative legislation to raise the profile of road safety, is before Cabinet for consideration.” He said a proposal seeking to define the quantum of road funds that should be allocated for road safety programmes was also before Cabinet for consideration. “We have taken the necessary steps to finalise the road traffic regulations, the review of the NRSC Act and facilitate the financial empowerment of the NRSC,” he said. Mr Hammah said a speed camera implementation and speed limiter projects, the development of road safety manuals for teachers and a study into the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes and its implications for road safety, among others, were some of the initiatives being taken to address carnage on the road and its impact on society. Expressing concern over the spate of accidents in the country and its socio-economic impact, he said it was important for the NRSC to harness the needed resources and adopt innovative and pragmatic strategies that would significantly improve the safety of road users in the country. He pointed out that carnage on the roads had, over the years, not only undermined sustainable socio-economic development but also traumatised dependants of victims, creating a sense of fear and insecurity among them. Source: Daily Graphic