NRSC CALLS FOR REVIEW OF ACCIDENT DATA COLLECTION (Back Page)

18/01/2008

Story: Mary Mensah
The acting Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mr Noble J. Appiah, has called for a review of the collection and analysis of road traffic crash data.
He said the present system of crash data collection was not only expensive but time consuming.
Mr Appiah made the call when he presented road transport enforcement equipment valued at GH¢70,000 to the Ghana Police Service at a ceremony in Accra.
The items include 20 Alco metres for alcohol detection, speed radar guns for speeding, 21 height gauges for overloading, reflective jackets for policing and 18 reflective batons.
He said traffic crash data was an essential component in shaping policy formulation and enforcement tactics and charged the Police Administration to institute a mechanism to improve the present situation.
The acting director said while effective and visible traffic enforcement was critical in road safety management, it was arguably a weak link in road safety efforts.
He said the equipment would, therefore, contribute to building capacity in law enforcement of traffic regulations within the Police Service.
Mr Appiah indicated that as part of the NRSC Strategy II, efforts would be made to support both human and technical capacities and capabilities in the enforcement of traffic regulations.
He said this year, the NRSC would hold discussions with the Police Administration in order to introduce road safety module both in the National Police College and police training schools, adding that the commission would support with the provision of resource persons and materials and the development of course content.
Receiving the items, the Director-General of Technical Services, Commissioner of Police (COP) Yaw Adu Gyimah, thanked the NRSC for the equipment, which, he said, would go a long way to enhance the work of the police.