Social Studies Year 1

SECTION

2 CIVIC IDEALS AND

PRACTICES
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Law and Order in the Society

Civic ideals and practices

INTRODUCTION
In this section, we shall examine road safety in the Ghanaian society. Road safety
includes making sure we follow the rules of the road like paying attention to traffic
signals and speed limits, wearing our seat belts and helmets, and being aware of our
surroundings. Of course, it is always important to be polite and respectful to other
riders, walkers, and bikers we see on the road.
It is important for road users in Ghana to respect each other and obey the rules.
According to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), in 2023 alone, as many as
2,276 persons were killed in 14,135 reported road accidents involving 23,998 vehicles.
There is therefore the need to take this section very seriously so you will become a
responsible road user.

At the end of the section, you will be able to:

• Explain the meaning and purpose of road safety in the Ghanaian society.
• Discuss the institutions responsible for maintaining road safety, the challenges they face
and how these challenges can be addressed.

Key Ideas
• Road accidents are causing a big developmental challenge for Ghana. They are responsible
for the loss of lives of thousands of people every year.
• Poor roads, poor maintenance and driver indiscipline are some of the causes of road
accidents in the country.
• Some institutions responsible for road safety in Ghana include Motor Traffic and
Transport Department (MTTD), Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and
National Road Safety Authority (NRSA).

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MEANING AND PURPOSE OF ROAD SAFETY IN

GHANAIAN SOCIETY
Dear reader, we believe this is not the first time you have heard of the term road safety.
Can you think of its meaning? Road safety refers to the measures and strategies that
are taken to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities on the roads.
Road safety involves implementing safety rules, guidelines, and best practices to ensure
that everyone is safe on the road.
It also involves creating awareness, campaigns, and education programmes, and
strengthening road infrastructure, including building safe roads, sidewalks, speed
bumps, and traffic lights.
Simply put, road safety is about staying safe walking along the road or when you are
on the road.
The purpose of road safety campaigns is to promote responsible and sustainable
movement, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the quality of life of those who use
the road. In short, road safety aims to protect human lives and minimise the risks
associated with the use of roads.

Activity 2.1

1. Have you noticed road safety measures in your community? Discuss some
locations in your community that has road safety infrastructure.
2. Have you observed how road users respond to these safety measures?

Write Your Answers

Importance of road safety in Ghana

The purpose of road safety campaigns is to promote responsible and sustainable
mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the quality of life of road users. This
makes road safety important. Below are some of the importance of road safety:

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It saves lives
Road accidents can result in deaths, injuries, and disabilities. The implementation
of safety measures will go a long way to reduce accidents on our roads. Road safety
education, awareness campaigns, and safety measures can help prevent these accidents
and fatalities on the road.

It reduces injuries
Road safety campaigns create awareness of safe driving practices like the wearing of
seatbelts, paying attention to traffic signals and maintaining the required speed limit.
Road users are also advised not to use mobile phones while on the road. Proper road
design, maintenance and signage on the road also improve road safety.

It prevents traffic congestion

Accidents caused by irresponsible behaviours on the road can result in traffic congestion
and affect the flow of traffic. Road safety measures can prevent accidents and reduce
traffic congestion.

It improves the economy

Road accidents have serious economic effects such as medical expenses, property
damage and loss of productivity due to injuries affecting individuals’ families. With
fewer accidents, there will be less pressure on healthcare systems. The country’s
economy will also benefit from increased productivity when people are able to go to
work and return home safely.

It promotes sustainable mobility

Sustainable mobility refers to the use of transportation systems and modes that
are environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable. This
improves public health and enhances social and economic opportunities. Road safety
education promotes awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable modes of
transportation, such as cycling, walking, and using public transport.

Activity 2.2

Discuss four reasons why road safety education should be part of your community.
Write each reason on the arrow in the compass below:

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Why should
students learn
about road
safety?

Activity 2.3

What are the key benefits of safer driving in the Ghanaian society? Complete the
table below.

Key reason Explanation

Sustainability

Economy

Congestion

Life saving

Reducing
injuries

Extended task

Find an example of a common traffic accident spot in your local area. How could
road safety be improved here? How would it improve the wider community if
road safety here was improved?

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Activity 2.4

Design a multimedia campaign to promote road safety in Ghana. It should be

aimed at young people, encouraging them to be responsible road users.
Use the planning template below to plan the campaign.
Positive reasons for Type of advertising Why have you chosen this type of
road safety (social media/ TV/ advertising?
radio/ poster)

Present your campaign to your class. If you have access to ICT resources, consider
using them.

THE CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS, THEIR

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS AND
STRATEGIES TO MINIMISE THEM IN GHANA

Causes of Road Accidents in Ghana

Several reasons contribute to road accidents in Ghana. They include:
a. Inadequate or poor driving
Drivers need to undergo proper training and education to help reduce the number
of accidents on the roads. By improving their driving skills and knowledge of traffic

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laws, drivers can become more confident and safer on the road. This benefits the
drivers and all other road users who share the same space.

b. Mobile phone usage

Road users, who talk on the phone or text while driving, are distracted from the
road. It is important to recognise the risks associated with distracted driving. This
can lead to dangerous mistakes with severe consequences. These consequences
may include loss of life, as well as a depletion of other valuable resources.

c. Broken down vehicles on roads

It is important to acknowledge that broken down vehicles parked on roads can
lead to dangerous accidents. Since some of these vehicles are mostly heavy-duty
vehicles, towing them from the road could be delayed. Due to this, unsuspected
drivers ran into them, especially during the night, causing fatal accidents.
Therefore, it is imperative to maintain vehicles regularly to prevent breakdowns
and ensure they are in good condition.

d. Disregarding traffic rules and road signs

Traffic rules and road signs are put in place to regulate and direct traffic flow,
ensuring the safety of road users. When drivers fail to obey these rules and signs it
can lead to confusion, misunderstandings, and accidents. For instance, running a
red light or failing to stop at a stop sign can result in collisions with other vehicles
or pedestrians. Drivers must follow traffic rules and pay attention to road signs to
prevent accidents and promote road safety.

e. Overloading vehicles
It is important to note that overloading vehicles can lead to dangerous accidents.
This is because vehicles carrying excessive weight are less stable and more prone
to accidents.
Overloading can also lead to damaged roads and bridges, which can be costly to
repair. It is crucial to adhere to the weight restrictions and ensure vehicles are not
overloaded.

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Fig 2.1 A picture of an overloaded vehicle

f. Excessive speeding
When road users, such as drivers and motorcyclists, encounter obstacles while
travelling at a high speed, they may lose control of their vehicles. This can lead to
serious accidents and injuries. As such, all road users must exercise caution and
adhere to speed limits to ensure safety for themselves and others on the road.

g. Drunk driving
The consumption of alcohol impairs an individual’s judgment and reaction time,
which can result in severe consequences on the road. The impaired driver puts
their own life at risk and endangers other road users, including pedestrians and
passengers in other vehicles.

h. Poor conditions of roads

Bad roads and a lack of proper road signage increase the risk of accidents. These
accidents can result in loss of life, physical injuries, and property damage, leading
to significant costs to individuals, families, and the society.

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Fig 2.2 A picture of a bad road

Activity 2.5

Have a discussion with your classmates on the main causes of accidents in your
communities. Write some conclusions and suggestions in the box below:

Cause of accidents How is this a cause of How could this be reduced as a

accidents? risk by drivers?

Activity 2.6

Thinking about the main causes of accidents that you have learned about so far,
which ones apply the most to your area? Why do you think that this might be the
case? How do you think community leaders can educate drivers on the causes of
road accidents in your area?

Write your notes here

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Activity 2.7

Discuss a road accident that has been reported in the news. This could be from
your area or from the news.
1. What were the causes of the accident?
2. What can we learn from it as a group of young Ghanaians?

Notes from discussion

Activity 2.8: Case Study

At age 15, Kwame was not supposed to ride a motorbike but when his parents
were not home, he decided to ride to school on his dad’s bike. He was involved in
a serious accident with head injuries because he did not wear a helmet.
Imagine you were a police officer at post and this case was reported to you.
1. How would you hope to prevent future tragedies like this from happening
again?
2. Who would you reach out to for assistance to prevent future accidents such
as this?

Write your responses here

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Socio-economic Implications of Road Accidents in

Ghana
Dear reader, do you know road accidents have a lot of negative effects on both our
social and economic lives as Ghanaians? Let us take time to discuss some of them
below.

a. Loss of lives
Losing a loved one in a fatal accident is a devastating experience that impacts the
family as well as the entire community. The emotional toll of such an incident is
immeasurable, as families grieve and struggle to come to terms with their loss.
The economic impact of these accidents is also significant as the loss of human
capital means, the community is deprived of individuals who could have
contributed to its growth and development.

b. Injuries and disabilities

Many survivors of road accidents in Ghana suffer from severe injuries and
disabilities, ranging from broken bones to traumatic brain injuries. These injuries
can have long-lasting physical, emotional, and financial impacts on individuals
and their families.

Fig 2.3 Showing victims of accidents on admission

c. High cost of healthcare

Treating accident victims consumes resources and impacts healthcare systems.
The resources required to provide adequate medical care to accident victims can
strain healthcare systems and impact the availability and quality of healthcare
services for other patients. Additionally, the financial burden of medical treatment
can have a ripple effect on the standard of living for the accident victim and their
family members, potentially leading to financial hardships and social instability.

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d. Loss of productivity
It has been observed that injuries can result in the loss of working days, which
eventually affect productivity and economic growth. When workers are injured,
they are unable to perform their duties effectively and this can lead to delays in
the completion of tasks or even a complete shutdown of operations.

e. Vehicles and infrastructural damage

Road accidents often cause damage to vehicles and infrastructure such as roads,
bridges, and traffic signals. The cost of repairing this infrastructure adds to the
economic burden of road accidents and can lead to troubles in transportation and
commerce.

Fig 2.4 An accident scene

f. Traffic congestion
Accidents often lead to traffic congestion, especially on our major roads and
highways. This does not only cause problems for travellers but also increases the
risk of additional accidents due to overcrowded roadways.

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Fig 2.5 Traffic congestion in Accra

Activity 2.9

Use the diagram below to make notes on the socio-economic impact of road
accidents in Ghana. Make sure you include as much detail as possible and add
explanations and evaluations of the significance of the impact.

Socio-economic
impact of road
accidents in
Ghana

Activity 2.10

Which of the impacts in activity 2.9 causes the most damage to the Ghanaian
society and its economy? Why do you think this?

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Strategies to Minimise Road Accidents

Road accidents are a grave issue that affect many people each year. However,
understanding how to minimise these accidents is important for everyone, including
young people like you. Here are some of the strategies to help make our roads safer.
a. Obedience to road signs
The first measure to reduce road accidents is to encourage individuals to obey
the rules and regulations on the roads. If everyone follows the set guidelines, the
number of accidents that occur on our roads will decrease significantly.

b. Improvement in road infrastructure

Investing in safe roads, efficient signalling systems, and pedestrian-friendly zones
can significantly improve road infrastructure. Such improvements would lead to
a reduction in road accidents, making the roads safer for everyone. Pedestrian-
friendly zones would encourage more people to walk, promoting physical fitness
and reducing pollution levels. At the same time, efficient signalling systems would
help ease traffic congestion, leading to faster and more reliable transportation for
commuters.

c. Strict enforcement of traffic laws

Consistent enforcement of traffic regulations sends a message that road safety is a
priority. Over time, this can help create a culture of compliance where motorists
understand the importance of following the rules of the road, including abstaining
from using mobile phones while driving. When laws are strictly enforced, it raises
public awareness about the punishment for certain behaviours and makes road
users careful. One example of this is the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA)
Act, 2019 (Act 993). This established the National Road Safety Authority as a
statutory body with a mandate to regulate, coordinate, and promote road safety.
The act gives the NRSA the authority to:
i. Impose fines and sanctions.
ii. Develop and enforce road safety standards.
iii. Collaborate with other agencies to improve road safety.

d. Public education/Awareness creation

Road safety campaigns must be organised regularly to create awareness among
pedestrians, drivers, and passengers. These awareness campaigns play a key role
in promoting road safety. These initiatives help educate people about the risks and
best practices associated with driving, walking, and being a passenger. Regular
campaigns can remind individuals to stay vigilant, follow traffic rules, and respect
each other on the road. They also provide valuable information on how to handle
emergencies and promote a culture of responsibility among all road users. The
NRSA has produced some campaigns. Have you heard any of them?

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i. Bloom Safety Campaign: Launched in June 2023, this campaign promotes

the use of helmets while riding bicycles and motorcycles. It aims to save lives
and reduce the risk of injury.
ii. Stay Alive Ghana Campaign: Introduced during the UN Global Road Safety
Week, this campaign encourages motorists to drive within the speed limits,
wear seat belts, and avoid driving under the influence of alcohol.
iii. Arrive Alive Campaign: Organised by the Ministry of Transport and NRSA,
this campaign focuses on reducing road traffic fatalities. Themes include
the importance of using pedestrian crossings, adhering to speed limits, and
avoiding distractions while driving.

e. Construction of cyclist and pedestrian pathways

It is important to consider the needs of all individuals when constructing roads.
One crucial aspect to keep in mind is the provision of cyclists and pedestrian
walkways. To ensure the safety and convenience of all commuters, these pathways
must be included in the planning and construction process. Failure to do so could
hinder accessibility of cyclists and pedestrians and will force them to use the main
roads. It is important for social studies to advocate for the construction of roads
that cater to the needs of all road users. One example of an increased investment
in cycle ways is the Accra Bicycle Network. The Accra Bicycle Network is an
initiative to create a more bike-friendly environment in Ghana’s capital city. The
project is part of the broader effort by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA)
and other stakeholders to develop sustainable urban transport solutions. The
network includes dedicated bike lanes on major roads within Accra to ensure safe
and convenient cycling. These lanes are marked and separated from vehicle traffic
to enhance cyclist safety

Activity 2.11

Think about one of the main behaviours that cause road accidents and one of the
main impacts of such accidents. Produce a solution on how these behaviours can
be changed and present it to your class.
Use the table below to plan your project. When you present, think about using
ICT tools, verbal presentations, and posters.

Project Planning

Which behaviours will you address and why?

What is the main impact of such behaviours and why?
What strategies will you use to minimise the occurrence of such accidents?
What strategies will you use to minimise the impact of road accidents?

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ROAD /TRAFFIC SIGNS AND MARKINGS IN

GHANA
Dear reader, as we have indicated earlier, road safety is aimed at protecting the lives
of road users be it motorists, passengers, pedestrians, or cyclists. For this goal to be
achieved, authorities have designed some signs, markings, and symbols to regulate,
educate and warn all road users. These are what we refer to as road signs or traffic
signs. What then are road signs?
Road signs are signs placed on the road, by the road or on top of the road to give
instructions or provide information to road users to promote road safety. Examples of
road signs include road markings, traffic lights, speed limits and directional signs.
We believe you have seen some of these road signs in your community or outside your
community whilst travelling. These road signs serve different purposes on our roads
and are made with specific colours and shapes. Yes! every road sign has a specific colour
associated with it. All these colours have their meanings to the road user and all road
users including you need to know and understand them to promote road safety in our
communities. Below are some of the colours used in road signs and their meanings.

Red
Red road signs refer to situations where you must stop or yield. All stop signs and yield
signs use the colour red, but other signs such as do not enter, and wrong way signs can
also use red colouring.

Fig. 2.6: Red Road signs

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Green
Green road signs are directional signs. This colour is used for things like street signs
(the names of streets), exit signs, mile markers, and signs showing you directions to a
certain city or the distance to a specific place.

Fig. 2.7: Green Road signs are directional signs

Blue
Blue road signs display services for travellers. These signs are normally found on
highways, directing motorists to where they can find places such as rest areas, tourist
sites, hospitals, hotels, fuel stations, restaurants, and other services commonly used by
motorists.

Fig. 2.9: Blue Road signs display services for travellers

Yellow
Yellow road signs are general warning signs to indicate potential dangers or changing
road conditions ahead. For example, road signs that use the colour yellow may warn
you that there is a narrow bridge ahead, a railroad crossing, curves in the roadway, a
pedestrian crossing, or any other potential danger.

Fig. 2.10: Yellow Road signs are general warning signs

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Orange
Orange road signs are usually temporary signs relating to road work, temporary traffic
control, and maintenance warnings. When you see orange road signs, be sure to watch
for workers on or near the roadway.

Fig. 2.11: Orange Road signs as temporary signs relating to road work

Black and White

Road signs with black and white colours provide motorists with regulations and laws
governing the use of that road.

Fig. 2.12: Black and white signs provide motorists with regulations and laws governing use

Road Signs
Dear reader having known some of the colours and their meanings in road signs, let us
take a trip to identify some of the road signs in Ghana. In this section, we are going to
consider three broad divisions of Road signs namely: regulatory signs, warning signs,
and marking signs.

1. Regulatory Signs
Regulatory signs are traffic signs that regulate traffic by giving directions that must
be obeyed by road users most especially motorists. These signs are used to help
road users drive safely by reinforcing traffic laws and regulations.
They include the following:

a. Stop Signs
This requires motorists to stop completely at intersections and yield the right
of way. In other words, drivers must come to a full stop and wait until crossing
vehicles and pedestrians have cleared the road before proceeding.

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b. Yield Signs
These tell motorists to stop for another motorist to use traffic usually at intersections.
Its primary purpose is to regulate the right-of-way at intersections and ensure the
smooth movement of vehicles.

c. No Entry Signs
These prohibit entry into a specific area or road. These signs are located at places
where vehicles are not allowed to enter. It is erected at the end of a one-way road
to prohibit traffic from entering a roadway in the wrong direction and at each
intersection along a one-way road.

d. One-Way Traffic Signs

These indicate a one-way street in which traffic is travelling. It shows that drivers
must not travel in the opposite direction of the one-way sign due to the risk of a
head-on collision.

e. No U-Turn Signs
These are designed to prevent vehicles from turning onto the other side which
may be dangerous to other vehicles.

f. No Left/Right Turn Signs

These are traffic signs which restrict turning in a specific direction. It is often
displayed by roadsides to help inform motorists that the road ahead on the left
cannot be driven onto. This message is displayed by a black left-pointing arrow
with a red line passing through.

g. No Overtaking Signs/Overtaking Signs

These signs are used to tell when drivers may or may not overtake. Thus, it prohibits
passing other vehicles. These signs end when the lines in the road change from a
continuous white line to a broken line.

h. Speed Limits
These signs give indications to the motorists the minimum and maximum speed
limit he/she can go within an hour or at a place or a period.

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Fig. 2.13: Speed limits signs.

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2. Warning Signs
These are signs designed to warn road users especially motorists of hazards or
dangers ahead. Therefore, they should slow down to prevent accidents. Below are
some of the warning signs in Ghana.

Fig. 2.14: Warning signs.

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Fig.2.15: Warning signs

3. Marker Signs
These are signs designed on the road to provide information about routes, junctions
and other routes or roads. The road markings include the following:

a. Lane Markings
These lines divide lanes and guide traffic flow. They are for proper lane discipline
or preventing collisions. They are either straight or black-and-white broken lines
which are mostly white.

b. Pedestrian Crossings
These are referred to as zebra crossings due to their nature. They are pedestrian
lanes with marked paths where people can walk across a street or road safely.

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Fig. 2.16: Zebra crossings

c. Stop Lines
These lines indicate the position beyond which vehicles should not proceed when
required to stop at intersections by traffic police or other control device.

Fig. 2.17: Stop lines

d. Centre Lines
These are either continuous or broken lines dividing or separating a road into
two halves. S

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Fig. 2.18: Center lines

e. Edge Lines
These are line markings used to define road boundaries and prevent vehicles from
straying off the road.

Fig. 2.19: Edge lines

a. Speed Humps
Markings on speed humps alert drivers that they will need to slow their speed
down

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<cap>Fig. 2.20: Speed humps.

Activity 2.12

Instructions: Match each road sign on the left with its correct meaning on the
right.
Road Signs Meanings
🛑
🚸
1. Pedestrian crossing
2. No entry

🚳
3. ⚠ Stop

⛔
4. Parking

🚦
5. Fuel station

🅿
6. Right turn only

➡
7. Warning or caution

🚮
8. Traffic light ahead

⛽
9. No bicycles
10. Litter disposal

Implications of Road Signs for Road Safety

Our dear reader, now that you have been introduced to the major road signs on our
roads, what are the implications on you as a motorist, cyclist, pedestrian, hawker, or
food vendor by the roadside, how do these road signs affect your usage of the road to
prevent accidents. Below are some of the implications of road signs on road users.

Activity 2.13

Discuss with your friend: in what ways can road signs keep people safer in Ghana?
As we go through the lesson, see if the ideas that you produced are correct.

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Notes from discussion

Road signs reduce accidents and injuries.

One major importance of traffic rules and signs is the provision of safety on our roads.
Many hazards and dangers on the road can cause harm and put road users, especially
motorists at risk. however, traffic rules and safety signs help to mitigate these risks
and reduce the occurrence of accidents. For example, speed limit signs, stop signs,
and giveaways help avoid accidents by controlling the flow of traffic and the speed is
travel.

Road signs provide consistent rules.

Road signs provide road users with clear and consistent rules, directions, and warnings.
Having consistent and communicated rules ensures that every road user is aware of
them and can follow them. Once these signs are known by road users and followed
strictly it clears confusion on our roads leading to improved road safety.

Road signs protect cyclists and pedestrians.

Motorists are not the only road users. There are other road users, like cyclists and
pedestrians, hawkers and food vendors that also rely on traffic rules and signs in Ghana.
Pedestrian crossing signs also allow pedestrians to know where they can safely cross
the road to prevent knockdowns. They also warn drivers to respond to the presence
of pedestrians. Cyclists rely on many of the same traffic signs and rules as drivers, so
these signs are important for everyone to share the road safely.

Road Signs provide directions to first-time users of the road.

First-time users of a road can use the road safely through the directions of road signs.
Despite the availability of GPS technology, if you did not have things like street signs or
directional signs, you would have a challenging time finding your way. These types of
signs make travelling much easier and less stressful for drivers and passengers.

Road signs manage traffic flow.

Traffic flow is not only important for safety but also for the efficient movement of
traffic. Heavy traffic can be an issue in many cities, and road signs can help to manage
it. Traffic signs help traffic flow more easily and help avoid accidents in heavy traffic
situations at roundabouts, intersections and

Road signs guide drivers at nights

Night-time conditions are one of the most difficult driving situations due to the limited
availability of visual information in the environment and limitations to the human

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visual system. In such conditions, road markings and road signs are the main source
of information for drivers. Research has shown that road markings and road signs, if
professionally designed and placed, can positively impact driver behaviour and thus
overall road safety.
Our dear reader, all too soon we have come to the end of this section, and we believe
you have learnt a lot about road signs and their implications for road safety. See you in
section three.

Activity 2.14

What road signs can you identify on this image and what purpose are they serving?

Activity 2.15

You are a pedestrian waiting to cross a busy road intersection with no traffic
lights, but you see a gap in traffic. What should you consider before deciding to
cross the road?
Step 1
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Step 2
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Activity 2.16

1.
a. Study the image below in pairs and complete the following tasks:
i. What hazards are there to drivers?
ii. What hazards are there to pedestrians?

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iii. What road markings would you add to increase safety and why?
iv. What road signs would you add to increase safety and why?

b. Complete the same activity for this road:

c. Complete the same activity as you did in (a) for the road below:

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2. Discuss: what differences in road hazards are there in different areas of

Ghana? What similarities are there?

Differences Similarities

Activity 2.17

Think about your local community and your commute to school and answer the
following questions:
1. What hazards are there for learners in the school as they get to school?
2. What hazards are there for drivers in this area?
3. What road signs and markings already exist?

Activity 2.18

Complete the following table.

Road Hazards in My Area Existing Safety Measures How it could be

improved.

Conclusion: how safe is

our local area for all road
users?

Activity 2.19

How could you, as young Ghanaians, help improve road safety in your area?
Produce an action plan as a class or in small groups.

Notes from discussion

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INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR

MAINTAINING ROAD SAFETY, THE CHALLENGES
THEY FACE AND HOW THESE CHALLENGES CAN
BE ADDRESSED

Institutions Responsible for Road Safety in Ghana

There are several institutions which are responsible for road safety in Ghana. These
include:

1. National Road Safety Authority (NRSA)

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is the lead agency for road safety
management in Ghana under the Ministry of Transport. It was established by the
NRSA Act, 2019 (Act 993) to develop and promote road safety, to coordinate and
regulate activities, procedures and standards related to road safety and to provide
for related matters. The objective of the Authority is to reduce the incidence of
road traffic crashes, fatalities, and injuries through the:
a. promotion of road safety,
b. development and coordination of policies in relation to road safety
c. implementation and enforcement of standards for road safety
Therefore, it is important to note that, the NRSA campaigns and educational
programmes are to educate the public on road safety in our communities.

2. Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of

the Police Service
Its primary responsibility is to enforce road traffic laws and regulations. Whenever
you are on the road, make sure you keep an eye out for MTTD officers, who are
easily identifiable by their distinctive uniforms and equipment. These officers
have the authority to stop and inspect any vehicle they suspect of violating traffic
laws or regulations, and they can issue fines and penalties accordingly. You should
know that the MTTD play a significant role in promoting road safety, and you
should always follow their rules and regulations when you are behind the wheel.
This means obeying speed limits, wearing a seatbelt, and avoiding distractions
while driving.

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Fig 2.21 A picture of a road safety team

2. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) is an institution that plays a
significant role in ensuring proper licensing and vehicle standards. By promoting
safe driving standards and ensuring that vehicles are roadworthy, the DVLA helps
to keep our roads and other public places safe for everyone. Whether you are a
driver or a vehicle owner, the DVLA is there to help us acquire licenses and know
the vehicle regulations, so that we can stay safe and legal while on the road.

3. Ghana Highways Authority

The Ghana Highways Authority plays a key role in managing the country’s public
or national highways. As a responsible body, it takes care of the administration,
control, development, and maintenance of these essential infrastructures to make
sure that remain safe and accessible for all.

4. Department of Feeder Roads

The Department of Feeder Roads plays a vital role in enabling the provision and
maintenance of feeder roads. These roads are important for easy movement of
people, goods, and services. When feeder roads are maintained, communities
have better access to markets, schools, healthcare facilities, and other important
services. The department’s efforts are vital in ensuring that these roads remain in
good condition, enabling safe and efficient transportation for all.

5. Department of Urban Roads

The Department of Urban Roads is responsible for making sure city streets work
smoothly. They plan, fix, and manage the roads in cities. Their goal is to make it
easy for people, cars, trucks, and buses to move around the city safely. By doing
this, they help businesses deliver goods and services, and they make it simpler for
people to get where they need to go.”

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Activity 2.20

Complete the following table to summarise the roles of each of the key institutions
responsible for road safety in Ghana.

Institution Roles and responsibilities

Activity 2.21

Visit any well-known driver in your community and interview him or her on how
a license from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Ghana is
acquired and write a report.

Notes from interview

Challenges of Maintaining Road Safety in Ghana

Dear reader, despite the efforts being made by the above institutions to promote road
safety in the country, certain challenges are hindering their efforts to work effectively.
These challenges can be put under institutional, execution and managerial.

1. Institutional Challenges
The institutions in charge of road safety do not have a clear direction. The agencies
are unable to co-operate well with each other and this has affected free flow of
information. Instead of the institutions and agencies to work together for effective
road safety activities, they will be working separately with different directions.
This can result in finger-pointing and a lack of ownership over finding solutions
to their challenges.

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Another institutional challenge is resource allocation. Since the state is not having
enough money, the money allocated to road safety programmes may be too small
for all the agencies. Therefore, the institutions and agencies will not get the needed
funds to work effectively.

2. Executional Challenges
It is very difficult for the agencies to implement road safety measures as a result of
inadequate knowledge on road safety by some of the staff who are appointed on
party line but not on qualification, lack of political will, where new government is
not ready to continue a project started by the previous government due to political
differences, and finally, lack of funds to carry out with projects and programmes.
For instance, the suggestion by the Road Safety Authority to government to build
a dual carriage road from Accra to Kumasi has delayed due lack of funds.

3. Managerial and Operational Challenges

Road safety programmes and activities are affected by poor management. Poor
engineering starting from poor construction of roads, poor maintenance of roads
and poor road markings. In some of our roads, there are no road signs, and where
they are some are faded while some are wrongly placed. In our cities most of our
traffic lights are not working. All these managerial and operational challenges
affect the promotion of road safety in the country. Finally, some unqualified and
inexperienced staff also affect the operations of the institutions and agencies
under road safety.

4. Attitudinal and Behavioural Challenges

Most road users in the country have negative attitudes towards road safety. Some
drivers show unsafe driving such as wrong overtaking, over speeding, wrong
parking, and lack of respect for traffic signs and signals. This negative attitude
leads to several preventable accidents on our roads. This is going on because the
institutions that are supposed to check and arrest the offenders collect bribes and
leave them to go. Due to bribery, some drivers do not even go through the right
processes to obtain their driving licences.

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Activity 2.22

For each of the institutions, list the challenges that you think would apply most
to them.

Institution Challenges that they face

Activity 2.23

Discuss, either in small groups or as a class, what you think the biggest challenge
faced by Ghanaian road safety institutions is and why this may be this way.
Produce some solutions for this challenge.

Notes from discussion

Activity 2.24

One day when the parents were out of home two of their children decided to ride
their father’s motorbike, they were involved in an accident and sustained serious
head injuries because they were not wearing helmets.
Describe what you would have done if you were a police officer, and the case was
reported to you.

Notes

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What of the challenges above may be faced by the police officer?

Notes

Measures to Address the Challenges of Road Safety

There are several measures which can be used to address the challenges of road
safety in the country. These measures can be taken by individuals, groups agencies or
institutions of the state. Below are some of the measures that can be taken to promote
road safety in Ghana.

1. Collaboration
There should be proper collaboration between the agencies in charge of road safety
and all the other stakeholders in road safety. Forging partnerships with relevant
stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, transportation departments,
healthcare providers, educational institutions, and businesses. these collaborative
efforts can leverage diverse expertise, resources, and networks to address road
safety challenges comprehensively.

2. Community engagements
Engaging local communities in road safety plans by involving them in decision-
making processes, asking for their feedback, and allowing them to take ownership
of safety measures in their neighbourhoods. when this is done, community
members will protect road signs in their area, and desilt drains along their roads to
ensure proper drainage to protect our roads. This will help yield greater acceptance
and sustainability.

3. Public Awareness Campaigns

Institutions responsible for road safety are to educate the public on road safety
through campaigns using the media to make road safety information more
accessible. Educating pedestrians about the importance of using the right
walkways and crossing signals when using the road will help in reducing
pedestrian knockdowns in our communities. Also, road traffic injuries caused by
human behaviour such as drunk driving, excessive speeding, wrong overtaking,
and the use of cell phones when driving, will be checked if the education goes
down well with the people.

4. Investment in road safety programme

Road safety is expensive so the state, NGOs, and individuals should invest in road
safety. The state with the support of identifiable groups, institutions and patriots
should donate adequate funds for the construction and maintenance of roads,

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installation of speed cameras, and purchase of ambulances and tolling trucks to

promote road safety in the country.

5. Designing roads to accommodate other road users

One measure to address the challenges of road safety is the design of roads to
accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. they should be provided
with designated lanes, safe crossings, and separated pathways. this will help curb
the rampant knockdowns of motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Activity 2.25

Let us assume that drivers overspeed on the road which passes through your
community and then knock down pedestrians. What four measures would you
put in place to prevent such incidents again in your community?

Activity 2.26

Plan and design a social media campaign to help improve road safety in your
area. Use the table below to help you plan. Present this to the class.

Who will you target

with your campaign
and why?

What type of social

media will you use
and why?

What road safety

issue will you choose
to address and why?

Which government
institution will you
ask to help you with
this campaign and
why?

Finally, we have come to the end of section 2, and we believe you have learnt a lot.
Bravo!!

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EXTENDED READING
Look at the following recommended books and links for more information on
the topics discussed in this section.
• Frederick Anlimah Kaku Ackah (2019) Road Traffic Safety in Ghana
• Road Safety Agencies (police.gov.gh)
• https://www.hindawi.com/publish-research/reviewers
• Road Safety Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Ghana Stephen T.
Odonkor, Hugues Mitsotsou-Makanga, and Emmanuel Nene Dei.
• https://www.nrsa.gov.gh/

37
Review Questions

1. Why is it risky to engage in phone conversations while driving?

2. Discuss five innovative ways that can be adopted to make road safety measures
more effective to reduce road accidents in the country.
3. Identify three challenges facing the MTTD in your community and suggest
ways by which these challenges can be addressed to promote road safety in your
community.
4. What factors account for the high road accidents on our roads.
5. How can attitudinal and behavioural challenges of maintaining road safety be
minimised in Ghana?
6. A new traffic law is introduced in your city that mandates the use of helmets for
all motor and bicycle riders. How would you address concerns from community
members who feel the new law is unnecessary or inconvenient?

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REFERENCES
1. Agyemang B. Regression Analysis of Road Traffic Accidents and Population Growth
in Ghana. International Journal of Business and Social Research. 2013 ;3(10).
Available: https://doi.org/10.18533/IJBSR.V3I10.290
2. Jia SG, Fan JG. The causes and counter measures of traffic accidents in Guizhou
Province. China Occupational Safety and Health. 2014; 3:40–43.
3. Kataria G, Jain S. (2018) Study on road accidents and improved safety measures of
road accident. International Journal of Advance Research, Ideas and Innovations
in Technology. 2018;4(3):1030.
4. M. Khanal and P. Sarkar, “Road safety in developing countries,” Journal of Civil
and Environmental Engineering, vol. 2, 2014.
5. Mohammed AA, Ambak K, Mosa A. M, Syamsunur D. A review of the traffic
accidents and related practices worldwide. The Open Transportation Journal.
2019;13(1):65–83. Available: https://doi.org/10.2174/18744478 /01913010065
6. Tilaye H. Human injury causing road traffic accident at Debre Markos Town. Journal
of Veterinary Health Science. 2021;2(1). Available: https://doi.org/10.33140/
jvhs.02.0 1.08
7. World Health Organization, Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018, World
Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2018.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

List of Contributors
Name Institution

Lawrence K. Odumah (PHD) UEW, Winneba

Opoku Afriyie Prince Presby College of Education, Akropong

Millicent Agyeman Badu Methodist Girls High School, Mamfe

Jemima Ayensu Holy Child SHS, Cape Coast

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