It is better to be late than to be called the late – NRSA warns road users

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has cautioned motorists and motorbike riders against reckless speeding, stressing that no destination is worth risking one’s life and that of others.

Speaking on Voices of Change on Mike FM on Saturday, December 13, an official of the Authority, Osei Kwateng, urged road users to strictly observe road safety precautions, noting that impatience on the road continues to claim lives.

“Wherever I go, I say this to people, that it is better to be late than to be called the late.” He said.

Osei lamented that many road crashes go unreported to the police, even though official NRSA statistics are based on police records.

“The Health Directorate in Zebilla alone says they have recorded 260 accident cases in just one district this year. It means lots of the crashes are not reported to the police.”

Providing national figures, he said total road crashes stand at 11,935, with 13,764 injuries and 2,429 deaths recorded.

According to him, some major causes of crashes, injuries and fatalities include children riding motorcycles, riding without helmets, absence of side mirrors, overloading, and carrying more than two people on a motorbike. He also mentioned dangerous practices such as reckless riding during funerals and animals straying onto roads.

“You are mourning why should you be putting your life at risk? It is a moment to be sober and pay your last respect to your loved one; it should be a peaceful thing. A motor is a machine, and a machine does not know its owner.” Osei cautioned.

He further advised road users to drive with empathy, urging them to imagine everyone as a relative that you cannot knock down and kill.”

Osei said curbing road crashes requires tackling the root causes through responsible behaviour, sustained public sensitisation on road safety, reducing speeding, and reporting careless driving to the police.

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