Carnage on our roads must end

Dear Editor, I am worried about the carnage on roads across this country which has been attributed to reckless driving, bad roads, indiscipline on our roads, inexperienced drivers and faulty vehicles.

Indiscipline on our roads is one of the causes of accidents. Drivers drive carelessly almost every day on our roads —  they   overtake, speed, drink and smoke while driving. These acts are not only dangerous but unlawful as well.

The poor nature of the roads in the country is another contributory factor to the carnage on the roads. Most of the roads in the country are bad. Contractors engage in shoddy works as such, in no time after constructing the roads, they develop big potholes which pose a threat to road users.

One of the ways to prevent these accidents is for drivers to be educated regularly to respect road signs. Where they are supposed to drive at a certain speed, they should respect that limit and avoid going beyond that. Where they are not supposed to negotiate a turn, they should not.

The government must also ensure that road contractors construct good roads and contractors who fail in this regard should be blacklisted. I also encourage the construction of more footbridges for pedestrians to use. When these footbridges are constructed, there should be constant education among the public on the need for them to use them instead of crossing the roads.

 Laws should be enforced by the government so that people should not be given drivers licence unless they have gone through the necessary processes and are qualified to drive. The Driver and Vehicle License Authority (DVLA) should ensure that vehicles that use our roads are road worthy.

If these measures are put in place, they will help in reducing the accidents that occur on our roads.

Richard Opoku,
St Hubert SHS,
Kumasi.