{
  "id": 6129078,
  "title": "Road safety advisory ahead of Basic Schools reopening",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/road-safety-advisory-ahead-of-basic-schools-reopening",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T10:55:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "GBC Ghana",
    "slug": "gbc-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/news/education/road-safety-advisory-ahead-of-basic-schools-reopening/2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As Ghanaian Basic Schools gear up for the 2026/2027 academic year, the MISORNU Safety Center is urging heightened road safety measures for returning students. With increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic during peak morning and afternoon periods, the organization highlights the alarming statistics from the National Road Safety Authority. In 2025, Ghana saw 2,561 pedestrian knockdowns, and 328 of the 2,949 road crash fatalities were minors. Within the first quarter of 2026, 666 pedestrian knockdowns and 181 deaths were recorded. Greater Accra's NRSA director, Mr. Joshua Kwasi Quist, calls this surge in pedestrian deaths a \"public safety crisis\" demanding immediate action. He advises drivers to be patient and yield to crossing pedestrians. The safety center urges motorists to reduce speed near schools, avoid dangerous overtaking, and always give way to pedestrians, particularly children. Parents are advised to accompany younger children where possible and instruct safe road-crossing habits. School-bus and commercial drivers are cautioned against speeding and overloading, ensuring roadworthiness, and using safe pick-up/drop-off points. Transport unions and okada riders' associations are recommended to conduct daily road safety reminders to their members. School officials should incorporate road safety into assemblies, classroom sessions, and provide supervision during arrival and closing times. The Motor Traffic and Transport Department may consider a Special School Safety Operation, deploying personnel to high-risk zones during peak hours. Road agencies should inspect school zones to ensure safe pedestrian facilities. The MISORNU Safety Center emphasizes that preventing injuries and deaths among schoolchildren requires collective action before accidents occur. They stress the importance of caution, vigilance, and protecting every child as they journey to school.",
  "summary": "As Basic Schools across Ghana prepare to reopen for the 2026/2027 academic year, MISORNU Safety Center, a non-governmental organisation headed by DCOP (Rtd.) David Senanu Eklu is calling for heightened road safety measures to protect schoolchildren as they return to the classroom. The reopening of schools will result in increased pedestrian and vehicular movement, particularly during […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}