By Christain W.Kennedy Sr. in Kakata, Liberia
There is an increase in the rate of fatal motor accidents in Liberia, with the most recent claiming the lives of several persons on the Monrovia-Kakata highway.
Official statistics putting the number of deaths at an average of one per day.
At the weekend at least five persons died in a head-on collision involving a seden and a pickup while on excessive speed.
The accident occurred on Sunday August 26 at exactly 3:37 pm as bystanders took account of a black Nissan Hardy pickup plate#A588866 and an ocean blue Nissan Almera taxi plate# A218582 overtaken each other on the hill top,when both vehicles collided heads on from the opposite directions around the Morris American Rubber Company (AMARCO) bungalow in Todee District in Montserrado County.
The pickup involved in last weekend’s road crash
When this Reporter got on the scene while en route to Careysburg a number of miles east of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, the body of the taxi driver was seen on the ground.
Mr. Kelvin Trocon Page was later amongst those taken to the C.H.Rennie Government referral Hospital on the 14th Road Community in Kakata,Margibi. Upon arrival the Doctors on duty pronounced him dead. While the Nissan hardbody pickup driver Anthony Konobo was rush via Ambulance to the John F.Kennedy Medical Center in Sinkor receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Units (ICU).
One of the dead includes Rev.Ezekiel David from the KRTTI/B- Certificate Programs who recently attended and spoke at the induction ceremony on its new Director Mr.George Kpennah. The remaining three deaths are yet to identify.
According to eyewitnesses on the scene, about 14 persons were riding on both vehicles. About nine other passengers who sustained major injuries as well as broken legs, hands, back and fracture on other parts of the their bodies were also transferred from the Charles Henry Rennie Memorial Referral Hospital in Kakata to the J.F.K. Hospital in Monrovia for advanced treatments.
One lucky survival of the motor accident ,Kpakelle Gbelema, whose condition was in a better shape told local journalists, I’m speechless but I’m most grateful to God Almighty for spearing him and three others family lives from untimely deaths,as they were on the Nissan pickup. He noted though they were badly injured.
Meanwhile, the Margibi Detachment of the Liberia National Police is yet to establish the actual cause of the Sunday tragic accident, but said a full scale investigation has been lunch into the matter.
Local Community Radio Stations held talk shows to reaffirm their commitment to the police half-hour, to educate the public on road safety signs, signal and its significance.
An analyst from the local community Radio Margibi also said since the rehabilitation of the highway leading from Monrovia to Ganta in the northeastern Nimba County, there has been a sharp increase in the number of fatal motor accidents, claiming a number of lives and damaging properties.
And many of the these fatal road crashes have been blamed on excessive speed and overtaking as well as other factors.