An accident-free Christmas is a shared responsibility

AS Ghanaians prepare to celebrate Christmas and usher in the New Year, the spirit of joy, travel, reunions and commerce fills the air. Roads become busier, commercial vehicles operate beyond regular hours, and private motorists embark on long journeys to reconnect with loved ones. Unfortunately, this season of goodwill often coincides with a tragic surge in road traffic accidents. Every year, families are plunged into mourning at a time meant for celebration. This painful pattern must not continue.

Road safety during the festive season is not solely the responsibility of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), or the police. It is a collective duty that involves drivers, passengers, pedestrians, motor riders, transport unions, and even event organisers. An accident-free Christmas and New Year is possible but only if everyone plays their part.

The Ghanaian Times identifies over-speeding as the leading cause of most festive season crashes. Many drivers, eager to make multiple trips and maximise profit, turn highways into race tracks. Others drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, clouding their judgement and reducing reaction time. These reckless behaviours not only endanger the lives of passengers but also innocent pedestrians and other road users. No festive hustle is worth a human life.

Commercial drivers must remember that every passenger entrusts them with their most precious gift, life itself. Observing speed limits, avoiding fatigue, resting adequately, and refusing to overload vehicles should be non-negotiable. Transport unions must enforce discipline among their members instead of shielding offenders. Vehicle owners, too, must ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before releasing them for commercial use.

Private motorists are equally guilty of festive recklessness. December driving often comes with impatience, unnecessary overtaking, mobile phone distraction, and blind confidence. These habits turn minor mistakes into fatal disasters. Wearing seatbelts, obeying traffic regulations and allowing extra travel time can make the difference between life and death.

Motor riders, particularly young men, must resist the temptation to show off on highways and inner-city roads. The refusal to wear helmets, carry multiple passengers, and weave through speeding traffic has claimed far too many lives. Parents and guardians should speak firmly to their children about responsible riding during the season.

Pedestrians also have a role to play. Crossing highways blindly, walking on poorly lit roads at night, and using mobile phones while walking contribute significantly to road fatalities. A few extra seconds of caution can save a lifetime of regret.

We commend the Police, NRSA, MTTD, NADMO, and allied agencies for their annual festive patrols, speed checks, and public education campaigns. However, enforcement must be firm, fair and corruption-free. Road safety should not be reduced to seasonal rhetoric but treated as a permanent national priority.

Beyond enforcement, public education must be intensified in schools, churches, mosques, lorry parks, and marketplaces. Road safety messages should be as loud as Christmas carols. Churches and event organisers must also caution their members against reckless travel in the name of celebrations.

As we reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, hope, love, and the sanctity of life, it is contradictory to celebrate with habits that destroy lives. The chest pains of bereaved parents, the broken dreams of injured youth, and the emptied seats at family tables are reminders that accidents steal more than lives; they shatter futures.

Let this Christmas and New Year be different. Let our celebrations be marked by safe arrivals and joyful reunions, not hospital wards and funeral grounds.

An accident-free festive season is not a miracle; it is a choice we must consciously make as a nation.

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