Police Commissioner, Jammeh Conta, has revealed that fatal road accidents were going crescendo during these past years, despite the authorities’ efforts to reverse the trend. He indicated that there were 3,372 cases recorded from 2003 to 2007 in the Police statistical figures, and that this also included part of 2008.

Commissioner Conta made these remarks while addressing youths and students in the recent celebration  of the Global road safety week, which lasted from the 23rd- 29th  April, 2008.

The team of this year’s celeberation was centred on the issue of traffic accidents and its effects on young road users.

He further went on to note that statistical report also unsealed an alarming reality during the same period: 280-fatal accidents; 737-serious accidents , resulting in major injuries; 1,196 minor injury accidents and 1,159 non injury accidents.‘To every reasonable person, these figures are very high despite efforts deployed through road safety campaigns by both government and the police,’’ deplored Commissioner Conta.

According to him, more dissuasive measures needed to be taken in order to curb the phenomenon. He therefore suggested the necessity to enact a bill prohibiting the use of cellular phones by drivers in traffic. ‘‘The use of mobile phones is incompatible with driving and has been one of the major causes of road accidents in the country.  It is therefore hoped that the introduction of this law will greatly reduce the number of accidents on our roads”,  he stated.

He finally called on all road users and other stakeholders to contribute immensely to the reduction of accidents on  Gambian roads.