By Lamin Njie
The Managing Director, National Roads Authority (NRA), has said that his office would continue to do its utmost best in ensuring that roads in The Gambia are of quality and meets safety standards.
Mr Momodou Senghore made this remarks in an interview with Gambia Daily during the installation exercise of road traffic signs in the Great Banjul Area as part of efforts to curb road traffic accidents/crashes on roads.
The new traffic signs which numbers over 170 and were purchased by the National Roads Authority (NRA) will be installed at different strategic locations of the country geared towards minimising road traffic accidents.
He mentioned that the primary purpose of traffic signs is to help prevent accidents and protect people on the road, it is critical that they are prominently displayed to command attention and placed in such a way that drivers have enough time to respond to the command given by each sign.
From speed limits to directions on where and when to turn, traffic signs provide a wealth of information. He added that following traffic signs helps to keep everyone on the road safe by reducing the chances of drivers colliding with other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists.
“Due to the lack of signage, reckless drivers would be free to do whatever they want putting themselves and other drivers in danger. The rules of the road are made clear by traffic signs, which keep drivers safe,” he noted.
He described the development as a big achievement for the government and all the stakeholders in road safety.
He went on to explain that traffic signs provide valuable information to drivers and other road users. “They represent rules that are in place to keep you safe, and help to communicate messages to drivers and pedestrians that can maintain order and reduce accidents,” he posited.
He mentioned that more of such developments would continue in the future, adding that road safety should be everybody’s business.
Senghore highlighted that most signs make use of pictures, rather than words so that they are easy to understand and can be interpreted by people who speak a variety of languages. For this reason, he added that it’s important that we understand what each picture represents, and the use.
Director Senghore further calls on the general public to desist from tampering with these signs boards installed on the highways, as they are there for the safety of the public.
The Gambia is ranked 4th among countries in the world where road accidents/crashes are highly recorded. Police reports revealed that from January to date, over 681 accidents have occurred in the Gambia, with over 100 fatalities.
