By Mohamed Juma Jalloh
The Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA), Abdul Karim Dumbuya, has told nightwatch that the Authority will start to enforce the Road Safety Policy of 2013 to its fullest.
In a bid to prevent the loss of bread winners, he noted that a particular focus will be placed on the issue of metal seats on public transport because they pose high fatal risks to passengers in the event of an accident.
Mr. Dumbuya stated that in their sensitization drive, they have informed vehicle owners and drivers that there are companies in the country that can do seat transformation and they expect no excuses when the enforcement commences.
The PRO highlighted that the Authority is presently reviewing the Road Safety Policy for it to be consistent with modern trends because issues like the importation and age of vehicles, spare parts and
Lubricants and the regularization of road safety audits have to be taken into consideration.
“Vehicles that are not road worthy will be warned. If they continue to ply the roads they will be issued with a prohibition order or even impounded,” Mr. Dumbuya disclosed.
He continued that drivers are subjected to different tests before licenses are issued and the same process is repeated when the licenses are renewed.
The spokesman furthered that vehicles that park in prohibited areas in the Central Business District are clamped and the violator will be fined Le 250,000 before the vehicle is released. For that, he urged people to park their vehicles in less congested areas.
Mr. Dumbuya called on the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) to ensure the construction of quality roads that can withstand the test of time and to tackle the issues of pot holes and the removal of culverts as, according to him, it makes enforcement very challenging.
He said that the training of Road Safety Corps is an ongoing process because the officers must be up to the task to ensure enforcement and compliance.
The PRO concluded that no sooner the government gives them the task to display road signs, which was hitherto within the domain of SLRA, than the general public will begin to see visible road signs throughout the country.