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Is the number of accidents and drinking spots at lorry
parks related?
Accra, Jan. 19, GNA – The two regions with the highest
number of drinking spots at their lorry parks according to a
recent GNA survey recorded the highest number of road
accidents during the last quarter of 2006.
Provisional figures from the National Road Safety Commission
(NRSC) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of
Ghana Police on Friday said the Ashanti and Greater Accra
Regions that had the highest number of drinking bars at
their lorry parks also recorded the highest number of
accidents; persons killed and vehicles involved accidents.
Even though other factors such as the density of vehicles
might have had an influence on the number of accidents
recorded, the presence of drinking spots at the lorry parks
could not be discounted as a major factor, more so as most
of the accidents were attributed to human error.
A statement signed jointly by Mr Noble J. Appiah, Acting
Executive Director of NRSC and Assistant Commissioner of
Police Victor Tandoh, MTTU Commander, showed that both the
provisional fourth quarter and full year results of
vehicular accidents in 2006 across the country put the two
regions up as those with the highest figures.
A further analysis of the number of vehicles involved in
accidents, persons killed and those injured put the two
regions ahead of the other eight, though the total numbers
had declined marginally compared to 2005.
Mr Appiah in an earlier interview with the GNA had mentioned
driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, unattended
disabled vehicles on the roads and the weather as major
causes of accidents.
The GNA survey sought to give a bird's eye view of the
nature and state of lorry parks and stations across the
country in respect of alcohol sale and to establish a
correlation between drunken driving and the spate of
accidents.
Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions alone had 3,029 vehicles
involved in accidents out of national total of 4,625
vehicles, representing 65.5 per cent countrywide.
The two regions also accounted for 128 out of the 323
persons killed and 1,083 out of the 1,788 persons injured
through motor accidents during the fourth quarter of 2006.
The two key State institutions in charge of road safety said
that in the fourth quarter, Ashanti Region had 698 vehicles
involved in accidents killing 79 persons and injuring 510.
Greater Accra came second with 49 people killed in 2,331
vehicular accidents that also injured 573 followed by the
Eastern with 34 killed in accidents involving 421 vehicles
while Brong Ahafo Regions had 12 killed in accidents
involving 48 vehicles. Eastern Region recorded 255 injured
persons while Brong Ahafo 42 persons injured.
The Central and Volta Regions were fifth and sixth while the
Northern, Upper East and Western followed in that order.
Upper West recorded the lowest figures of 14 vehicles in
accidents that killed four persons.
In the full year assessment, the Ashanti and Greater Accra
Regions accounted for over a third, being 11,352 out of the
total of 17,877 of vehicles involved in accidents. They were
also responsible for 565 deaths out of the total 1,378
deaths. On injuries, the two regions were responsible for
3,725 out of the 7,505 total injuries.
The Ashanti Region stood out as the region where the drivers
killed many people, slaughtering 408 people representing
29.6 per cent of the national total of 1,378 persons killed.
The Eastern Region came a distant second with 227 persons
killed while drivers killed 213 persons in the Greater Accra
Region.
The comparative figure for 2005 was 1,403 killed compared to
the 1,378 killed in 2006 a decrease of 25.
GNA
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