As Ghana’s highways wind toward the close of 2025, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is sending one message into the new year with unmistakable urgency: “Arrive and Stay Alive in 2026.”
In a country where bustling traffic, rapid urbanisation, and expanding road networks often collide with unsafe habits, the NRSA is rolling out a bold, nationwide campaign designed to reset attitudes behind the wheel and on the sidewalks. The campaign’s target is simple but ambitious to cut down preventable crashes and save more Ghanaian lives.
“Road crashes continue to claim far too many people through accidents that could have been avoided,” said Agyeman Fredua, speaking on behalf of the Authority. His tone was firm, almost cautionary, as he outlined the pillars of the initiative: education, enforcement, and shared responsibility.
Fredua stressed the basics: seatbelts, reasonable speeds, sober driving, but positioned them as life-or-death habits rather than optional good behaviour. “As we enter the new year, we want to emphasise the importance of safe driving practices. Avoid speeding, wear your seatbelt, and never drive under the influence of alcohol. These are not just rules; they are safeguards,” he said.
But the campaign isn’t aimed at drivers alone. Ghana’s vibrant streets are used by millions of pedestrians, many of whom navigate traffic without lanes, signals, or guardrails. Fredua appealed directly to them as well: “Pedestrians must stay alert—use designated crossings, avoid distractions, and be visible, especially at night.”
The “Arrive and Stay Alive” campaign is designed with reach and realism in mind. The NRSA plans to flood communities with public education campaigns, conduct road-safety inspections, and roll out town hall-style outreach programmes across all regions. Its partnerships span government agencies, transport unions, private organisations, and civil society groups, reflecting the Authority’s view that safety is not the burden of one institution but a shared national mission.
Transport analysts say this expanded collaboration suggests a more proactive NRSA, willing to engage deeply with the groups most affected by Ghana’s road safety challenges, from commercial drivers in bustling terminals to schoolchildren navigating chaotic intersections.
The message behind the campaign is clear: everyone—drivers overtaking on the Cape Coast stretch, motorcyclists weaving through Accra traffic, and pedestrians hustling across Kumasi’s roundabouts—has a role to play.
“Let us commit to arrive safely at our destinations in 2026 and beyond,” Fredua urged, echoing what may become the campaign’s defining call.
As the year turns, the NRSA is not simply wishing Ghanaians a safe and happy new year—it is challenging them to build one.
Story: Lawal Mohammed
