By: Adama Nyang
Auto accidents along the OIC road linking the Airport Junction and Bertil Harding Highway are reportedly increasing in frequency and severity but many interlocutors have blamed the spike on minors behind the steering wheels and reckless driving by mature drivers.
However, some officials of the National Roads Authority (NRA) explained to The Voice that the worrying rate of accidents along this OIC road is also attributable to the lack of signage and road markings as this particular stretch is still under construction.
Meanwhile, the NRA has been engaged in mass sensitization through the media as the authority said it was concerned about the cost of the accidents to some of the road’s facilities such as the lampposts.
The Chef De Garage at Sukuta Traffic Lights garage, Sulayman Joof, attributed the increasing road crashes on the OIC road to minors driving cars, reckless driving by adults, and disregard for cars by pedestrians.
“The police issued driver’s licenses to people, who did not attain the age to be issued licenses. The pedestrians are not scared of cars. They don’t run away from vehicles. The adults drive dangerously and are impatient,” stated Joof.
Commuter and road accident victim Saikou Camaratold this reporter that one of the reasons for the frequent road accidents are that laws are not enforced.
“A driver will hit you today and the next minute, he or she will be walking free. It’s normally the victims that suffer. Driver’s licenses are issued to young people with no sense of responsibility,” he added.
Fatou Darboe spoke to The Voice at Sukuta Traffic Lights and according to her, drivers drive at breakneck speed and will not heed any advice from passengers.
When contacted on the allegation of police contributing to road accidents by issuing licenses to minors, the Acting Police PRO, Modou Musa Sisawo, said the GPF does not issue driver’s licenses to minors unless forged birth certificates are presented by applicants.
He explained that the police had deployed the PIU along the OIC road to reinforce the efforts of traffic wardens.