Our roads have become dangerous, due to the number of tricycles popularly called “aboboyaa” plying inner-city roads.
Our streets are dark in the evening without street lights. It has become more dangerous with these tricycles on our dark roads.
In the darkness of our roads, you can a tricycle approaching, and yet it may look like a motor bike. But upon approaching, you realize it is a tricycle, and if care is not taken, the bucket, protruding on the backsides, which have no reflectors and light could hit pedestrians or scratch other vehicles leading to an accident.
It is very important, for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), to make every tricycle on the roads put reflectors around the bucket to make them visible to other road users.
Interestingly, these tricycles frequently breakdown in the middle of the roads with no warning signs to indicate that they are stationary. This poses serious threats to other road users particularly in the night. Â These riders leave the tricycle in the middle of the roads, making it dangerous for other vehicles.
With the normal motorcycles, I plead with the government to legalize the Okada business. Re-registering them, and putting them in different associations, and giving them reflectors.
The government can also get lot of revenue from the riders, even if every Okada is paying a cedi a day, looking at their numbers.
It is very important to mention that activities of Okada riders can be regulated to minimize the number of accidents witnessed on the roads. The regulation can compel the riders to comply with road traffic rules since breaking such regulations could attract penalties including jail term.
Another important disregard for the rules is the tendency to ride in the opposite direction on the road. This act if not check could cause accidents and death. Riders must not also be allowed to cross red lights at their beck and call. Such acts pose danger to motorists and pedestrians crossing the roads.
It is good, Okada has created a lot of jobs for a lot of the youths in our nation. Its high time government starts regulating their activities, so contribute to the economic development of the country.
Author: Samuel Abbey
email: [email protected]
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