LAST Wednesday evening’s accident involving the running into a stationary Rhino truck by a bus of premier league club, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, on the Nkawkaw overpass, which incident resulted in the death of one of the technical staff, leaving several others in very critical condition, including the coach, has left many football enthusiasts, especially Kotoko fans, in a state of grief.
WE understand that the injured were rushed from the Holy Family Hospital in Nkawkaw to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Our prayers go to them as we wish them speedy recovery.
A lot of factors account for accidents on our roads. These include bad roads, unworthiness of cars, speeding etc. But, then it becomes even more worrying, when road accidents are caused by stationary/broken-down vehicles on our roads.
THIS is exactly what happened to the Kotoko bus. In fact, the cause of the accident has set those of us at Today thinking. The question which, therefore, arises is: couldn’t this accident have been prevented? The answer is an obvious and a big yes!
THIS is an accident which could have easily been avoided had the stationary Rhino truck been removed from that portion of the road.
IT is in the light of the above that Today is calling for a national debate on the issue of towing of broken down vehicles from our roads.
ALL over the world road accidents have been a source of major concern to many, Ghanaians not excerpted. Therefore, the stationary truck killing a technical officer of Kotoko has reignited the debate on how the nation should run its towing system as quickly as possible to save more lives.
IT is common knowledge that many of our roads, which are meant for moving vehicles, have been turned into parking lots and garages for immobilised or stationary vehicles.
SIMILARLY, vehicles that break-down on our roads are left, sometimes for days, and when mechanics are eventually brought in to repair them, they repair them right there on the roads, turning entire lanes into garages.
AND as these stationary vehicles sit, in anticipation of being repaired (almost never to be towed), the only notice that passing vehicles get that there is a broken-down car ahead, are a few tree branches placed and scattered a few yards or metres away from the broken-down vehicle.
THAT is why as a nation we must revisit this issue and find a solution to it. We must not sleep over it and pretend it will not happen again, if we do not act.
SURELY, the speed with which we act in towing broken-down vehicles off our roads will, no doubt, contribute immensely towards reducing road accidents, and by extension, help save lives.
WE believe that we must use this latest incident to look dispassionately into the matter of how to get broken-down vehicles from our roads. And that debate must start now!
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