Habitual Disregard For Common Rules Killing Some Ghanaians On Roads.

We woke up last Monday only to hear of the gruesome murder of some Ghanaians through a ‘head on’ collision on the Kintampo road. The rate at which the ghastly accident was reported across the length and breadth of the country was a bit excruciating. I used the word ‘murder’ because in my candid opinion, one of the drivers woefully killed the passengers. I wonder why we even call such instances ‘road accident’ and not manslaughter (its rightful terminology).

Why do I say so? As passengers, the carelessness in the driving of most Ghanaian drivers become worrisome, and, the folly-like silence from the passengers contribute to the incessant lost of lives on our roads.

As a driver, why drive close to two days without catching some sleep? Are you a robot? I talk with some close friends of mine who are drivers and I know for a fact that most of them deny themselves night rests just to cash in the more.

One lamebrained excuse from a friend of mine had it that he struggles to get enough cash because of the heavy traffic in Accra so he has linked himself up with a part-time long journey work with one of the popular bus stations in Ghana. So, having driven all day and smelling of exhaustion, he gets behind the wheels in the evening as well to drive (without sleeping or resting for an entire 24 hour period or more). Why won’t such a driver doze off and collide into other oncoming vehicles?

I have said this countless number of times (even in Core Points) that until we start suing and jailing ‘surviving accident drivers’, some careless drivers will continue to murder passengers through their negligence, over speeding, useless overtaking, drug abuses and other mishaps. After such murders, media houses call it accident but most people (especially surviving passengers) know in their hearts that it’s actually manslaughter!!!

I once sat beside a dozing driver from Agona Swedru to Assin Fosu and aside God’s grace, I saved the entire passengers because I woke him up more than 10 times.

But, ideally, as passengers we also ought to start desisting from the habit of always travelling at nights.

What do you make of this recent countless deaths through accidents?

Share your thoughts with us.

BY: C. A. Asante
Freelance Writer
Ghana