Roads and Traffic Issues in Ghana (Features)

Published 8/11/11

Roads and Traffic Issues in Ghana (FEATURES)

Story: Zoe Darling

Upon arrival in Ghana, a Westerner must be prepared for differences. Differences in the culture, the climate, the landscape, the people, the food, just to name a few. These differences become apparent very quickly, but none is more obvious, even in the short drive from the airport, than the frightening phenomenon that is the traffic.

Drivers pay no heed to the lines separating lanes of traffic, with often three cars squeezing into a single lane. Cars weave erratically through the tightest of spaces and around hawkers as other slam on their breaks to avoid a collision. Sometimes cars simply drive on the wrong side of the road, directly into oncoming traffic. Speed limits are blatantly ignored, as are the majority of road rules. In the beginning, it is terrifying, and oddly captivating.

According to the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), there are over 10,000 reported road traffic crashes in Ghana annually, but in reality the number is much higher because so many go unreported. Every year more than 1,800 people are killed in crashes on Ghanaian roads, with a rate of nearly 19 fatalities per 10,000 vehicles. Compare this to my home country, Australia, which has a similar population; there is an average of just one fatality per 10,000 vehicles.

It is clear that there are serious problems with the infrastructure, particularly around Accra, which will only grow as the number of road users continues to increase. The road systems simply cannot handle the amount of traffic. But a more pressing issue is the condition of the roads and the evident lack of maintenance. The predominance of potholes, installation of haphazard mounds of dirt to act as speed humps, open drains bordering narrow streets and general debris littering the roads has resulted in the complete state of disrepair that is Ghanaian roads.

It would be a challenge for even the most skilled and experienced drivers to navigate. But it appears many drivers in Ghana do not have a license, are untrained, or are in desperate need of guidance when it comes to road rules and road safety. Some are downright reckless and dangerous.

To further enhance the impossible driving situation, many of the vehicles on the road are in appalling condition. In many other countries, they would not be considered roadworthy. These cars are not simply uncomfortable; they are unsafe and pose a risk to both the occupants and other road users. I have been in moving cars that have suddenly lost bumpers, broken down in the middle of busy intersections or even had a door fall off. For the safety of everyone, these cars should not be on the road.

But one of the most frustrating issues I have with driving in Ghana is the lack of seatbelts. I was in a taxi last night when the driver spotted a police check ahead. He promptly buckled his seatbelt, we were waved through the checkpoint by the officer, and the driver promptly unbuckled his seatbelt. This raises a number of questions. Why would the driver, with the option of seatbelt, not wear it? Is it a lack of education of the benefits? Or disregard of the benefits in favor of comfort? Surely it was not inconvenience or laziness, judging by his haste to unbuckle after the checkpoint.

Why are none of the passenger seats, in any form of publicly used transport, equipped with seatbelts? Most of the taxis I have been in seem to have the capability. And with the reckless driving and often uneven road surfaces, I would definitely welcome them in tro tros and other public buses.

Why is there not more encouragement to wear seatbelts by the authorities, either through education or penalties for those who do not abide by the rules? On that point, why are the authorities not penalizing dangerous driving and removing unsafe cars from the road?

I recognize that there are a lot of issues raised. I realize it would not be a cheap exercise to address these issues. But the benefits of improving the roads, educating drivers, and enforcing the road rules would be time and money well spent.

According to the NRSC, it is estimated that road traffic crashes cost Ghana about 1.6% of the GDP annually. If these issues were addressed, the cost to taxpayers would ease, traffic congestion would be reduced and the harm to vehicles and other property would be minimized. I shouldn’t have to mention the cost of human life that could be spared.

As a Westerner witnessing the calamity of traffic on Ghanaian roads, I realize this is just another difference that I will slowly acclimatize to. But don’t even get me started on the incessant, inescapable and completely unnecessary honking.