Road crashes in Ghana have seen an 18 per cent reduction this year against figures in the same period last year.

In augmenting efforts to further reduce road carnages, especially this yuletide, tipper truck operators in Kumasi have been engaged in road safety measures.

The one-day workshop was organized by Zonda Tec Limited, an automobile company.

Statistics available at the National Road Safety reveal nearly 3,000 road crashes were recorded from January to October in the Ashanti region, with a little over 3,500 persons sustaining various degrees of injury.

The latter represents a 6.6% reduction in road crash injuries as against the same period in 2021.

As part of its social responsibilities, Zonda Tec Limited, a truck dealership company, contributes to reducing road fatalities through a quarterly road safety sensitization program.

Representatives from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of police, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the DVLA took turns to educate tipper truck drivers on some road safety measures.

Human Resource Manager, Daniel Nseboah Amoah says over 1,000 drivers have benefited from the initiative.

“We started this training in our head office in Tema, where we’ve trained over 1,000 drivers since its inception in 2020,” he said.

Ashanti regional Head of the National Road Safety Authority, Simbiat Wiredu, elated by the significant reduction in road carnage, advised motorists to strictly abide by the road traffic regulations.

“This year had been good. We’ve got an 18% reduction in road traffic crashes even for all the categories. This is a step in the right direction.

"We continue to encourage drivers to limit their speed, maintain their vehicles regularly and ensure that they’ve considered other vehicles or road users,” she said.

Branch Manager of Zonda Tec Limited - Kumasi, Enoch Osei Tutu is optimistic of drastic decline in road crashes and fatalities.

“We are not only focused on selling, but also ensuring the safety of drivers who are using out machines. We see the need to also contribute our quota in national development. The drivers aren’t only getting intrinsic value but they are also bringing value to the communities,” he said.

Some tipper truck operators indicated the event expanded their knowledge base on road safety.

Samuel Atongo transport goods from the Northern part of Ghana to the cities.

“I have learnt more about how to leave an interval between my vehicle and any other behind or in front of me. We now know pedestrians and even cyclists are all road users and not only drivers,” he said.