Pedestrians crossing the road

Dear Editor,

I am writing to express con­cerns to the relevant author­ities on the abuse of zebra crossing by the public, espe­cially residents of Assin Fosu in the Central region.

Some road users in Assin Fosu seem to be ignorant about the dangers associated with not using zebra crossings appropri­ately.

They cross the road anyhow, unconcerned about whether they are going to be knocked down by a vehicle or not.

They feel that once they have gotten to the zebra cross­ing, cars have to stop for them to cross but that may not be so because drivers might be on high-speed and stepping on the brake may be dangerous.

One finds it hard to believe whether such pedestrians are knowledgeable about how to cross as it is clearly seen in their attitude whenever they are about to cross.

Road users need to under­stand the various road mark­ings and their benefits.

Drivers must be made to understand that, failing to give way to pedestrians trying to cross the road at a zebra cross­ing can have some consequenc­es on them as a zebra crossing is an area of the road where vehicles must stop if pedestri­ans wish to cross.

Despite the fact that drivers are required to make way for pedestrians to cross, pedes­trians must also know when, where and how to cross. They must not cross roads at junc­tions where drivers need to make a turning decision.

I would urge the Driver and Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ministry of Roads and Highways to make it a point to ensure that road contractors include zebra crossings at the appropriate places for the convenience of road users.

To ensure safety on our roads, and the proper use of zebra crossing, there should be more practical education at the basic school level to help the young ones know the appropriate ways of crossing the road.

Additionally, I would urge commercial drivers to help when it comes to passengers crossing the roads.

Elizabeth Nyarko,

Swedru.