MONROVIA, THURSDAY, NOVERMBER 1, 2022: The Road Safety Secretariat housed at the Ministry of Transport on Thursday, November 1, 2022, organized a one-day program held at the Monrovia City Hall in observance of the World Day of Remembrance for Accident Victims. The program was organized under the theme, REMEMBER, SUPPORT, and ACT with assistance from the World Bank-Liberia and it brought together health workers, students, marketers, transport unions, and Government employees among others.

Speaking, the Guest Speaker of the program, Cllr. Karzor K. Zubah, Traffic Court Judge of Liberia outlined several causes of road crashes including disregard of traffic regulations and basic signs, reckless driving, drunk driving, breakdown of vehicles on highways, bad road construction among others. Cllr. Zubah urged participants to also take advantage of wearing of seatbelts, walking on sidewalls, observing speed limits, vehicle maintenance, and adherence to basic road safety signs and regulations to prevent or reduce the risks of road crashes that may lead to deaths and serious injuries of citizens thereby posing serious threats to the socio-economic development of Liberia. He called on the Government of Liberia with the assistance of international partners to revisit the Vehicle and Traffic Law of Liberia as well as enforce existing traffic regulations to ensure the safety of citizens against increased road crashes.

Speaking earlier, the Chief Medical Officer of the John F. Kenedy Medical Hospital of Liberia, Dr. Siah Kamanda said, there are increase in accident cases daily at the hospital which continues to lead to deaths and injuries of citizens with particular emphasis on motorcycle operators. Dr. Kamanda said most of the victims are youths and children. She stressed the need for the conduct of more road safety awareness activities as well as driver’s education and training workshops by the Road Safety Secretariat.

For his part, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Public Safety, John M. Saar of the Liberia National Police presented brief statistics of road crashes to the participants as well as advised road users or operators of vehicles to observe safety measures to help avoid road crashes. He said with support from the World Bank, the Government of Liberia through the Road Safety Secretariat is revising the Vehicle and Traffic Law and at the same time, drafted the National Driver’s Curriculum and the Highway Codes to be used in driving schools to train would-be drivers.

In closing remarks, the Coordinator of the Road Safety Secretariat, Samuel C. Wonasue expressed special thanks and appreciation to the World Bank-Liberia for the support and all the participants for the success of the program and urged every Liberian to be an Ambassador of the Road Safety Campaign to help save lives and properties.