Ghana: Arriving Protected On Wheels or Heels - UN Street Security Week Highlights Strolling, Biking and Public Transit

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Since Monday, the world has been marking the seventh UN World Street Security Week, an vital occasion that presents stakeholders with an important alternative to give attention to the dangers of highway site visitors and to take motion to enhance security on our roads.

The biennial marketing campaign, hosted by the World Well being Group (WHO) on the theme “Sustainable Transport”, makes a case for governments to rethink mobility and facilitate a shift to strolling, biking and utilizing public transport.

By investing in these choices, it’s anticipated that there could be a more healthy and extra equitable society. Moreover, it calls on international locations to prioritize highway security for all highway customers, particularly these most susceptible, together with kids, individuals with disabilities, and pedestrians. When designed with these customers in thoughts, it’s believed that highway networks may create secure environments for all to maneuver round cities with ease.

The slogan, #RethinkMobility, highlights the significance of remodeling present transportation programs to stop highway crashes and promote secure mobility.

World state of affairs

With highway site visitors accidents persevering with to be a number one reason for loss of life and incapacity worldwide, the significance of spreading consciousness about highway security and accident prevention has by no means been extra essential.

Regardless of the numerous efforts which were put in place over time, highway site visitors accidents proceed to pose a major risk to individuals aged 5-29 years, in keeping with the WHO.

The organisation estimates that 1.3 million deaths happen annually, and as many as 50 million individuals are injured. Extremely, one out of each 4 deaths amongst pedestrians and cyclists will be attributed to highway site visitors.

With the Decade of Motion for Street Security 2021-2030 already underway, the World Plan displays a daring goal of lowering highway site visitors deaths and accidents by 50% inside a decade.

That is an formidable purpose, however one that may be achieved by addressing the entire transport system by making certain secure roads, automobiles, and behaviours, in addition to bettering emergency care providers.

Ghanaian model

In Ghana, we see the heartbreaking toll that highway crashes proceed to tackle the nation’s residents. Knowledge offered by the Nationwide Street Security Authority (NRSA) signifies that 2,373 individuals misplaced their lives in 14,960 highway crashes final yr, with a further 15,690 individuals injured.

A complete of 25,754 automobiles have been concerned in crashes, with 8,645 business automobiles, 11,677 non-public automobiles, and 5,432 bikes represented.

Moreover, 2,680 pedestrians have been struck and injured whereas strolling alongside or crossing the roads.

It’s alarming to notice that occupants of bikes accounted for almost half of all fatalities, with 974 deaths in 2022 alone.

Though there was some lower within the knowledge when in comparison with the earlier yr, the numbers underscore the pressing want for efficient options to advertise secure, sustainable transportation for all Ghanaians

The highway circumstances in some components of the nation will not be splendid, with quite a few points that may make travelling a dangerous endeavour for highway customers.

A few of the main issues within the nation by way of highway security are the breakdown of site visitors lights and faint highway markings, making it tough for drivers to navigate by way of the roads. Furthermore, damaged down road lights can lead to darkish and unsafe roads for pedestrians and different customers.

Streetlights/ site visitors indicators

In December 2021, the NRSA expressed concern in regards to the basic state of site visitors indicators and streetlights on among the city highway networks throughout the nation. Based on the NRSA, these points enhance the vulnerability of highway customers, particularly pedestrians, to highway site visitors crashes and their related accidents and deaths.

The Authority recognized non-functional lights throughout the nation that very same yr. Larger Accra accounted for the best proportion of non-functional site visitors lights at 48%, adopted by Ashanti, Central, and Western areas. Though among the mild and site visitors indicators might have been mounted, the difficulty persists as media homes proceed to report on such points.

Footbridges/ pedestrians

For effectively over a month, pedestrians have been left susceptible to the whims of reckless drivers as a result of inoperative second site visitors mild after the Las Palmas junction at Lapaz within the nationwide capital Accra. Although a handful of site visitors wardens sometimes present as much as regulate the site visitors move within the evenings, their presence will not be constant. Moreover, the few footbridges scattered alongside the stretch of the highway are uncomfortably spaced, making it inconvenient for pedestrians to make use of them. With every passing day, the wire mesh that serves as a security barrier within the median of the highway dwindles, pushing pedestrians to improvise new perilous routes to cross the busy road.

For anybody who has resided in Ghana within the final half-decade, the Madina incident involves thoughts when footbridges are talked about. In a bid to scale back pedestrian Knockdowns, these buildings have been constructed following a number of public protests, however their perceived inconvenience made pedestrians reluctant to make use of them. It is a basic instance of the necessity to marry comfort with security within the growth of highway security interventions.

Biking

This yr’s celebration additionally sheds mild on biking security. In Accra, site visitors congestion is a standard prevalence, and it is not unusual to see pedestrians and cyclists struggling to navigate their means by way of busy roads. Nevertheless, regardless of the quite a few advantages of biking, it typically receives extra consideration when it is linked to sports activities. Ghana has hosted a number of biking tournaments. However with regards to transportation, biking is seldom talked about as a mode of transport. That is unlucky as a result of it’s an eco-friendly and environment friendly solution to scale back site visitors and hold people wholesome.