Monrovia — About 139 persons have died as a result of road accidents involving motorists, occupants, and pedestrians across the country, the latest report released by the Public Safety Division of the Liberia National Police (LNP) has revealed.
LNP Chief of Public Safety John Saah disclosed that among those who died were 66 operators, 36 occupants, and 37 pedestrians. They were 115 males and 24 females.
The deaths occurred from the 1,380 accident cases reported across the country from January 1-September 30, 2022.
Mr. Saah disclosed that the cases reported include: car to car (406), motorcycle to motorcycle (169), tricycle to tricycle (50), car to motorcycle (399), car to pedestrians (91), tricycle to car (55), Motorcycle to pedestrians (116), tricycle to motorcycle (39) and self-accidents (81).
He released the statistics at the launch of a weeklong Road Safety Campaign held at the headquarters of the Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) in Monrovia on Wednesday, November 16.
The LNP is partnering with the LNRCS for the implementation of the exercise in Margibi, Grand Bassa and Bong counties from now to November 20.
Mr. Saah disclosed that many Liberians and others continue to loss their lives as a result of the lack of training and awareness for users of roads across the country.
He said road safety should be a paramount concern for all road users in Liberia.
“In Liberia, our people are dying even more than those that have malaria. For more than 10 years now we have not had any good workshop or training for our motorists or road users in general. I feel that because of that, there are many who do not know the rules of the roads. They do not know how and when to drive and because of that, our people are dying.”
“What the statistics is telling us is that, on the other hand, accident is coming down a bit because when motorcycles came as a commercial means of transportation, all of the hospitals in Monrovia were overwhelmed. There was no space for victims as a result of road traffic accidents.
Mr. Saah stressed the need for adequate support to be provided to the LNP to organize “a major workshop” to help reduce the prevailing rate of accidents in Liberia.
“We work with the road safety secretariat with our office at the Ministry of Transport, through the World Bank. The WB is doing pretty well to help us reduce these challenges”
On driving schools
He pointed out that the provision of licenses to individuals and others to operate driving schools across the country has not been synchronized.
As a result of this, the proliferation of quasi-driving schools across the country persists due to the failure of the government, through the Ministries of Transport and Education to put in place measures to regulate them.
But Mr. Saah disclosed that steps are being taken by the public safety secretariat to address the situation.
“We observed that driving schools are teaching different things and we managed to bring them on board. We have gone about 25% and we have to go to inspect their facilities. The reason for bringing the driving schools on board is that, we don’t want anyone driving outside of driving school. Whether you are literate or illiterate, you should go to driving school.”
“If you go to school for more than a month, it’s better than you go to school for two days because, the back yard teacher will just teach you how to move the car and you will not know about no traffic signs or signals, road infrastructure or safe zones.”
Involving health workers
He said the Ministry of Health should also be involved to ensure that when LNP officers are responding to cases of accidents, trained and competent healthcare workers should be on the scene to provide proper care to those involved in the accidents.
“When we are responding to accidents, we want health workers to also respond to lift victims. When accident takes place, victims are lifted by people who are not trained. When you are not trained and you lift somebody, you are going to help to kill them unknowingly.”
Mr. Saah maintained that medical condition of victims of accidents would also worsen if people who are not trained shoulder the responsibilities of healthcare workers to provide first aid and other services to the victims.
Paved roads are dangerous
He further called for the involvement of the Ministry of Public Works to construct or rehabilitate damaged roads and traffics signs.
He added that the ministry should also guarantee the installation of sewages and bumpers on major roads in the country.
Mr. Saah wonder why accidents most often occurred on paved roads as compare to other roads that are not in good conditions.
“When the roads are better, it should not be dangerous again. When Gbarnga road was not fixed-there were so many potholes along the road, we did not experience more accidents. Now that the roads are paved and marked, the accident rate on that road has increased.”
He disclosed that the LNP is also working with the ministry for the provision of traffic lights to mitigate traffic accidents.
“We want the Ministry of Public Works to help. In fact, we’ve been having series of meetings with them and they told us that, they will do a lot.”
No road worthiness
Mr. Saah disclosed that for more than 50 years, the Liberian government, through the Liberia National Police has failed to ensure the worthiness of vehicles plying across the country.
He said sustaining road worthiness involving moving vehicles and others is “cost intensive” and as such, the LNP has only been trying to partially inspect vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles.
He pointed out that the requisite equipment needed are lacking in the post-conflict nation.
“For road worthiness-we used to take them to NTA for the inspection and bring in specialized mechanics to check the cars. What we do on a periodic basis is on the spot inspection. On the spot inspection does not go into too much detail. But we can check for the signal and head lights and other defects on the car. And this is only effective with the highway patrol. But right now, the highway patrol only has one car.”
Mr. Saah disclosed that the lack of vehicles for the LNP makes it difficult for officers to inspect cars and other objects plying the roads for road worthiness.
Difficult to arrest bikers
He, however, observed that LNP officers continue to experience difficulties in apprehending commercial motorcyclists violating traffic rules and regulations in Liberia.
He disclosed that in most instances, these officers also sustained injuries while attempting to arrest these violators.
Mr. Saah said though officers were holding and using canes to scare commercial motorcyclists for violating traffic rules and regulations, the move continues to be heavily criticized by the public, including some members of the Liberian media.
Appeal
He further called on citizens to take precaution whenever they move from one destination to another while using the road.
“If you know that the vehicle you drive is supporting you, your wife and the children, you will not recklessly drive on that road because when you die, the whole family is going to collapse. I want to make an appeal to our road users that the life you save could be your own or that of your friend.”
He used the occasion to express thanks and appreciation to the Red Cross for the launch of the exercise and expressed the hope that it will help reduce deaths, injuries of citizens and damages of their properties from road traffic accidents.
Millions of lives loss
For his part, the Secretary General of the LNRCS Mr. Gregory Blamoh recalled that the first death involving a motor vehicle took place in London in 1896.
Since then, he added that, road crashes have claimed more than 30 million lives.
He noted that throughout the world, there is great concern as the number of people killed and injured on the road spirals ever upward and as the number of motor vehicles continues to grow, noting that, “worldwide, road crashes currently kill more than two people every minute and Liberia is no exception.”
“However, in 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on “Improving Global Road Safety”. This was a welcoming development and governments around the world reaffirmed their commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, proclaiming the period 2021-2030 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety.”
Mr. Blamoh pointed out that the resolution set a target to reduce by at least 50% the number of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030, adding that, “this year marks the second year of the Decade of action to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50%.”
The campaign
“Considering this background, we must act together to save lives and make our roads safe for all. As part of our actions, we are working with the Liberia National Police and today we are pleased to jointly launch a Road Safety Awareness Campaign in Grand Bassa, Margibi and Bong to help educate motorists on the use of the roads and safety measures to help minimize road accidents and improve road safety in Liberia.”
He reminded motorists that “speed thrills but kills” and as such, everyone should avoid over speeding, overtake carefully and drive safely.
‘Don’t be the driving force behind traffic accidents; avoid phone calls and texting while driving and all follow traffic rules to Save your Future.
Mr. Blamoh disclosed that during the weeklong campaign, the LNRCS and LNP will share important road safety messages on how everyone can use roads safely to protect themselves and other road users.
“We will promote safe roads and enable everyone to make safe and healthy journeys; we will create sensitization on how speeding and other forms of reckless driving/riding are major causes of accidents and we will remind the public crash victims and share their stories.”
Accidents bring poverty
Speaking further, Mr. Blamoh observed that traffic accidents can push entire families into poverty through either the loss of a breadwinner or the costs associated with lost income and prolonged medical care.
“When we think about how we can all use roads safely to protect ourselves and other road users, we also understand how safe roads can enable everyone to make safe and healthy journeys. When we remember road crash victims, we say that no deaths on our streets are acceptable.”
He stressed that road safety falls under the umbrella of the universal right to health for which safety is paramount and must be made a top priority.
Mr. Blamoh maintained that everyone has a role to play.
He added that from drivers to motorcyclists and pedestrians, each person must accept their responsibilities and the time for action is now.
“Safe roads offer the promise of a safer, healthier, and better future for everyone, everywhere. Let us seize this opportunity and act appropriately in making the roads safe for all. Safer roads promote sustainable development.”
He further called for more ambitious and urgent action to reduce the biggest risks – such as speeding; driving under the influence of alcohol or any psychoactive substance or drug; failure to use seatbelts, helmets and child restraints; unsafe road infrastructure and unsafe vehicles: poor pedestrian safety, and non-compliance to traffic rules and regulations, among others.
“From education, health, and transport to climate mitigation, land-use planning, and disaster response, road safety must be integrated in our national policies and plans. Together, we can save lives, support development, and steer our world to safer roads ahead, leaving no one behind.”
Mr. Blamoh used the occasion to also welcome the resolution adopted in 2020 by the High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Improving Global Road Safety and accept the period 2021-2030 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
However, he added that, to achieve the target by reducing the number of road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% in 2030, it requires collective efforts to turn this vision into reality.
“This is why we are acting now along with the Police to engage all road users by face-to-face, radio and social media to create awareness for safe roads. Putting safety at the heart of our mobility systems is an urgent health, economic and moral imperative. Let’s work together to scale up our actions to save lives and make safe roads a reality.
He emphasized that with the overall theme “The 2030 horizon for road safety: securing a decade of action and delivery”, the Liberia National Red Cross Society in partnership with the Liberia National Police is organizing a major road safety awareness campaign under the theme: “Safe Roads For All”.
Mr. Blamoh said the road safety campaign targets commercial drivers, motorists, community members, and pedestrians including students to shout out for everyone’s right to make safe and healthy journeys on safe roads.
According to him, the campaign will also raise awareness on key areas of road safety including safe roads, safe vehicles, and speeds, engaging all road users, and highlighting the importance to keep us all safe on the roads, no matter who we are, or how we travel.
He stressed that the exercise will help educate motorists on the use of the roads and safety measures to help minimize road accidents and improve road safety in Liberia.
Mr. Blamoh, however, pledged the LNRCS’ commitment to support the works of the LNP and other agencies that are involved with vigorous public safety awareness campaign.
He disclosed that the three counties were selected for the awareness campaign based upon their population.
He expressed the hope that the initiative will be extended across the country in the future.
“Our hope is that, in this one week, we will reach to as many people as we can. Let me remind you that we will be using a variety of media including the airwaves, social media and we will be going to parking spots to talk to some of these people.”