As road accidents continue to rise across Ghana, Assistant Planning and Programmes Manager at the National Road Safety Authority (NSRA), Samuel Adu Gyimah, has made a striking revelation: fatal crashes often occur on good roads, not bad ones. Speaking on the TeknoKrat Show on Focus FM with host Khayrullah Issah Dobo, Mr. Gyimah explained that smooth roads tend to encourage reckless driving, unlike rough roads where drivers exercise more caution.
“I always tell people not to blame the poor nature of our roads all the time, but I’m misinterpreted. People are more careful when the roads are bad because they’re concerned about damaging their vehicles.
But when the road is good, they overspeed and become careless,” he said. Gyimah noted that vehicle maintenance often takes priority over safety, a mentality that contributes to unnecessary crashes.
“Drivers seem to care more about avoiding car damage than preserving lives,” he added. He also highlighted common but dangerous behaviours like using earpieces or Bluetooth devices while driving, refusing to wear seatbelts, and ignorance of road rules, which he said are prevalent among both drivers and pedestrians.
“Some people claim seatbelts make them choke or throw up, so they avoid them. Others sell on the road and get offended when cautioned.
These are the everyday choices that put lives at risk,” he explained. Calling for a shift in personal responsibility, Gyimah stressed that road safety is ultimately in the hands of individuals, not just the authorities.
“Your life isn’t in the hands of the police or road safety officials. Whatever actions you take on the road can affect not just you, but others too,” he warned.
He also outlined the NSRA’s strategy, built on the “4Es”: Education, Enforcement, Emergency Services, and Engineering—implemented in collaboration with key stakeholders like the police, fire service, ambulance service, and road engineers. As the conversation ended, he urged Ghanaians to speak up when things are going wrong and to take road safety personally.
“You are your own first line of defense on the road. Speak out, act right, and stay alive,” he concluded.