By Makutu Manneh
The National Roads Authority (NRA) and partners have launched a road safety and awareness campaign for the new 22 km Bertil Harding Highway to educate people about proper driving behaviours and promote everyone’s commitment to making the roads safer.
NRA partners include the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, the Gambia Police Force, and the Gambia Transport Union. The theme for the campaign is “Arrive Safe”, “Borri Doman DomanFuta Ku” and “DaawNdankaDaalNdanka.” The campaign is to take place for three months.
Ousman Sanyang, the NRA’s Managing Director, said road safety is a collective responsibility, referring to it as “a battle of hearts and minds.”
“Everyone matters – everyone has a part to play especially if you can extend the message. A problem identified and acknowledged is a problem solved. We know we have a problem. Accidents are there for people to see and this country is small. Each of us is affected by road accidents,” he said.
He encouraged the young people to participate in the campaign. He said most of the accidents’ victims are young people and those who offend the traffic laws.
Matarr Ceesay, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure said the campaign aims at individuals, communities, government offices, and private partners in a collective effort to create safer roads.
“By launching the campaign, we are taking another critical step towards reshaping road safety throughout the country. We are all road users – pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, so we must all take responsibility.
“If we can take full responsibility by understanding the dangers, call for action, and make a safety statement – on buckling up, adhering to speed limits, driving sober, not using a telephone – then we can improve our safety and the safety of those around us.”
Lamin King Colley, Commissioner of Mobile Traffic said the current laws governing traffic need to be more effective to help mitigate road accidents. He added that the traffic laws date back to 1948. He pointed out that the fines contained in that legislation (Traffic and Motor Act of 1948) impose lesser penalties for traffic offences.
“We need to revise our laws, we need to change our attitudes, then we will be able to mitigate road accidents,” King Colley said.
Colley continued to say that attitudes are another factor in road accidents in the country, calling for attitudinal change.
King Colley said The Gambia is ranked 4th position in Africa and 8th in the World.
“This is very bad compared to our operation to other nations,” he said.
He called on everyone to take the campaign seriously, saying “A life you might save could be yours.” He also urged the NRA to build sleeping police, especially for roads within communities.
Omar Ceesay, the President of The Gambia Transport Union also labelled the new campaign as important and called on people to join it to change the attitudes of road users and mitigate accidents.
Ceesay said the problem is caused by the way the driving license is being issued. He added that some people are given license when they do not understand road signs
“I think if we come together as Gambians and put our hands on deck, we can mitigate road accidents,” Ceesay said.
