MTTU, NRSC ENFORCE USE OF SEAT BELTS (PAGE 18)

THE failure by most motorists in the Tamale metropolis to use seat belts and crash helmets is a major source of worry to law enforcement agencies and other implementors of road traffic regulations in the metropolis.
Awareness level on their usage is still low among passengers, drivers and riders, in spite of the numerous road safety campaigns embarked upon by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in the area.
Indeed, the reasons some vehicle occupants give for their refusal or inability to use seat belts in their vehicles are incomprehensible.
They often complain that the seat belts make driving uncomfortable. Others give funny excuses to the effect that their seat belts are dirty and so they will soil their attire when they use them.
Some vehicle occupants also hold the view that the seat belts may trap them in the vehicles in case of any accident, while others say they feel “lazy” to use the belts.
Motorbike riders, some of whom ironically hang their crash helmets on their bikes while riding, also offer the same reason — they are not comfortable wearing the helmets that will eventually help protect their lives in the event of an accident.
According to the Northern Regional Co-ordinator of the NRSC, Mr Sumani Mbo, the new Road Traffic Act 683 of 2004 stipulated that any person of 18 years and above, whether a driver or vehicle occupant, caught not using the seat belt contravened the law, for which reason such a person would be prosecuted
“In fact, seat belts provide security and safety so that in the event of an accident or a crash the vehicle occupant will not be thrown out of the vehicle or he will be protected from hitting any part of his or her body against any object in the vehicle,” he explained.
Although the co-ordinator could not readily provide statistics to show the extent of safety the facility guaranteed a vehicle occupant, he emphasised that people who got involved in accidents and were in seat belts had higher chances of survival than those who failed to use the facility.
The Regional MTTU Commander, Nana Kumi, noted that the use of seat belts was yet to catch on with the people, compared with the use of mobile phones.
“People will have to choose between comfortability and safety, and I hope accident victims can narrate their experiences to others,” added.
It is for these reasons that the MTTU and the regional NRSC have mounted an exercise to enforce the law in the metropolis this week.
Nana Kumi indicated that as much as personnel from his outfit were intensifying their educational campaigns, he appealed to opinion leaders and politicians to support them in the law enforcement exercise by not coming to plead for the release of suspects at the least opportunity.