The spate of vehicular accidents in the country has for some time now occupied the minds of many, even as rising starlet ‘Ebony Reigns’ lost her life in a motor accident. We may publicly decry the spate of accidents on our roads, but we dare say sometimes our inaction can add to the frequency with which these accidents occur.
Here, this Paper is specifically referring to certain dangers on the Tema-motorway – which if not halted will continue to pose a danger to motorists and pedestrians alike, since parts of the motorway are now pedestrian crossings…particularly those working in industries located on the Spintex road.
Apart from the fact that the motorway is now a virtual tro-tro route with tro-tro drivers entering and stopping on the motorway at will, and without considering the speed on on-rushing vehicles, another imminent danger is the number of tricycles now using the motorway at slow speeds which defy wisdom and safety.
While all this is going on, one wonders whether the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) has observed and taken note of these dangerous developments on the motorway. Under no circumstance should these tricycles be allowed to travel on the motorway.
Another problem are the heavy-duty vehicles that are sometimes loaded beyond what is acceptable, and travel at speeds which cause long, unnecessary queues on the motorway. Some form of sanity needs to be restored to this highway designed to expedite the movement of persons and goods primarily coming from and going to Tema Port.
Now, we have all manner of vehicles and tricycles – and even motorbikes – competing for space; the motorway has been reduced to an inner-city road that sees all manner of vehicles clamouring for space. In most jurisdictions, only certain categories of vehicles are allowed on the highways, freeways or motorways as the case may be.
However, with no supervision and enforcement by the Roads and Highways Authority, the motorway is now a free-for-all public road that all manner of vehicles plies for convenience. The portions of the motorway where pedestrians run across to get to the other side also poses enormous risks to the pedestrians and drivers alike who have to constantly look out for these pedestrians – and where the motorway has no streetlights, the problem becomes even more acute.
Let us not resign ourselves to inaction, because at the end of the day either a relative, friend or loved one will be affected and we will be touched.
