A total of 53 road accidents were recorded in the Upper West Region between January and June 2021 resulting in eight deaths.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), told the GNA in Wa on Wednesday that 91 vehicles and motorcycles were involved in the recorded accident cases with 82 pedestrian knock downs.

Mr Suboi Inussah, a Public Educator at the Upper West Regional office of the NRSA, said the figure was marginally low as compared to the 66 cases with 15 deaths recorded within the same period in 2020.

He said the figures could be higher than as some of the cases in the region were not reported.

He identified over-speeding, lack of patience on the road, and general disregard for road traffic regulations as the causes of road carnages saying, "Some of the accidents could have been avoided if road users adhered to road traffic regulations".

Mr Inussah said as part of measures to ensure sanity on the road, the NRSA officials had embarked on regular road safety campaign through the media and at vantage points on the road including; the traffic lights as well as at school and offices.

He explained that the education was centred on proper road usage by both motorists and pedestrians, road signs and wearing of crash helmets.

He said wearing crash helmet while riding could save the person from severe injuries or death in case of an accident, and urged the public to make wearing of crash helmet during riding part of their lives.

"One other thing we always tell them (motorists) to do is to always ensure that their traffic indicators are working. A motorbike without traffic indicators is more dangerous than an unregistered motorbike.

"We consider that as hazardous because it is the traffic indicators that tell others where you are passing at a time. How to use the traffic indicators is also important, it is not just having it", the road safety officer explained.

Early last month, three separate accidents were recorded with three fatalities in a week involving motorcycles and vehicles.