WORKSHOP FOR DRIVERS

Wassa East District Assembly in its quest to ensure safe driving to help reduce the spate of road accidents on our roads in the country has organized a four day training workshop on defensive driving, use of log books, highway code and transport management for some decentralized departments drivers at Daboase, the district capital.

The District Chief Executive for Wassa East, Hon. Emmanuel Anthony Aggrey urged the drivers to take the training seriously to enable them maintain the vehicles well to avoid constant breakdowns which is a huge drain on the assembly’s coffers.

 According to the Assistant Chief Technical instructor of the district, Mr. Bernard Armoh the district assembly has been organizing this training every year to refresh the minds of drivers on defensive driving to enable them become abreast with driving technique to ensure safe driving.

He took participants through the need to apply the abbreviated word C.O. A. T. in defensive driving which simply means Concentration, Observation, Anticipation and Tolerate in driving. He said to ensure safe driving one has to concentrate and as well observe road rules and regulations such as Road markings and signs. A good driver should always be in anticipation to ensure you plan ahead well and act promptly and swiftly to deal with changes going on around your driving.

Mr. Armoh said a good driver should tolerate other road users’ conduct to ensure safety on road or adopt your own driving strategy to handle hazard caused by others.

The Planning and Transport officer for the District Education Office, Mr. Edward Armah one of the facilitators trained the drivers on safety checks and speed management. He said vehicle safety checks are checks which are required to be done on a vehicle to avert future occurrence or failure and this also helps to prolong the life span of the vehicle.

He said the checks are grouped in to three namely Daily checks which involves the checking fan blade, fan belt, head lights, tyre pressure flailed leakage under the vehicle and starting engine to listen for unusual noise. The second category being weekly checks include checking battery connection, vehicle tools and spare tyres, break and clutch fluid level, wind screen masher water level.

The third category being duty check which involves completion of log book, fuel level, operations of horns and seat belts.

He urged the drivers to always wear their seat belts for their own safety and security in mind since when a vehicle gets involved in traffic road accident, its emotion is automatically transferred to its occupants. On speed management, he said there are various speed limits to observe when a driver is approaching a residential area, cities, highway and motor ways and should be observed.

Mr. Armah said most road accidents are caused by human error. The distance in which you use to follow a particular vehicle safely is very important. To determine a safe space following distance in between or in front of other road users should be 7 meters intervals.

Mr. Kojo De-graft Johnson on behalf of the District Coordinating Director entreated the participants to abide by the code of ethics in civil service. He said they should conduct themselves at all times either at work or off-duty so as to deserve the respect of their employers’ colleagues and members of the community.

He urged them to be honest, faithful and just shall not act in manner derogatory to the honour or dignity of the service. 

DCE AND THE DISTRICT COODINATING DIRECTOR AT THE WORKSHOP FOR DRIVERS