Road signs are the driver’s as well as pedestrians’ friends on the road. They are an elementary measure to prevent road accidents on our roads. Road accidents are not only caused by the carelessness of road users, over-speeding, drunk driving, or the poor nature of roads.
Seldom talked about as a cause of road accidents is the lack of road signs on many of our roads. Road or traffic signs give valuable information to drivers and other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. They represent rules that ensure safety and help to communicate messages to drivers and pedestrians to help maintain order and reduce road accidents.
Overlooking road or traffic signs can be very dangerous and can cause road accidents and the absence of these signs on the road can cause even more dire consequences.
Six people were badly injured in an accident involving a fire tender in Bogobire, a neighbourhood of Obuasi in the Ashanti Region. The accident occurred while the driver attempted to stop abruptly after observing an ongoing bridge work on the road, according to the Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Harry Giwah.
Unfortunately, the fire tender steered off and somersaulted before landing on its side. The development resulted in the injury of the personnel on board. It is reported that the victims were responding to a distress call when the incident occurred. Mr. Harry Giwah lamented over why there had been no road sign to warn drivers about the construction of the bridge work on the road. This and many others accidents could have been prevented if there were traffic signs on the roads.
This is a wake-up call for the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to be more proactive in ensuring safety on our roads as per their mandate. They should provide enough road safety signs and ensure that road contractors follow the necessary procedures for road construction. This way, road accidents can be significantly minimized in the country.