Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday in Tema, Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning said a total of 2,354 vehicles were involved in the accidents.

     He said the total number of reported accident cases were 600 of which 163 were very serious.

     He said there were instances where when accidents occurred, before the police could get to the scene, the vehicles involved were nowhere to be found.

     The Tema Region involves seven Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs); namely Kpone Katamanso, Ningo-Prampram, Dangme West, Dangme East, Ashaiman, Adenta and Tema.

      Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning recounted that in 2016 the Tema Region recorded 261 motor traffic offences and that a total of GHC 30,900 was collected as fines for motor traffic offences.

     The MTTD Commander said in 2016, a total of 221 motor traffic cases were sent to the court, of which 219 were convicted.

     He said one case was on trial before the court, while one was discharged and that none was acquitted and discharged.

     He noted that over the years, the region generally recorded high rates of accidents during festive seasons such as Easter and Christmas.

     Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning explained that the high rates of accidents within those periods could be attributed to the haste with which commercial drivers drove in order to make more money due to the huge increase in the number of commuters.

     He also attributed it to the euphoria within the festive season; as some people over- sped to places to partake in festivities.

     He said about 95 per cent of accident cases in Ghana were due to human errors while mechanical errors and bad nature of roads accounted for the other five per cent.

     He cited wrong overtaking, over-speeding, drunk driving and running away from crime scenes as some of the courses of motor traffic accidents.

     "I am appealing to all drivers on our roads to take their time and drive safely to their various destinations," the MTTD Commander said.

      "They should get to their destinations in peace, not in pieces," he added and advised drivers to be extra careful on the road and avoid drunk driving.

     Chief Superintendent Oduro Amaning said pedestrians and cyclists were the most vulnerable in motor traffic accidents and, therefore, urged them to be very cautious anytime they were on the road.

     “When crossing a road at the Zebra crossing make sure that the vehicles have stopped completely before you move, because their breaks can fail," he said.

GNA

FA/ABD

Caption:

Road accidents claim 84 lives in Tema in 2016