By Jennifer Ofori Boateng
The use of the marked crosswalk, commonly known as the zebra crossing, has been abandoned over the years by both pedestrians and drivers. This is as a result of drivers’ refusal to adhere to the rules on the zebra crossing. The problem makes it difficult for most people to cross major roads due to fast moving vehicles and cars.
A zebra crossing, or pedestrian crossing, is one of the pedestrian safety measures meant to reduce accidents involving pedestrians. A zebra crossing is a point on a road where pedestrians traverse the road. Pedestrian or zebra crossings, sometimes referred to as crosswalks, may be found at intersections or along road stretches.
Marked crossings are designated by markings on the road, commonly white stripes. Vehicle-pedestrian interactions predispose pedestrians to road traffic crashes because of the importance of pedestrian trips for geographical mobility and spatial interaction, which may be effectively reduced by zebra crossings. In some countries, the sight of people at the edge of a zebra crossing is a sign for drivers to stop and allow the public access the road, but in Ghana, the situation is different.
A road user will have to struggle to get the attention of drivers by flapping their hands or taking matters into their own hands to cross at the risk of being knocked down.
Why is this the situation, and how can it be addressed? Upon an observational check on some roads, it was clear that drivers’ Zebra crossing compliance rates are really low. Many pedestrians die unattended at the crash scene in what is popularly called a hit-and-run in Ghana.
In a conversation with drivers on why they refuse to allow passengers easy access at zebra crossings, some said, many passengers delay crossing the road when allowed, wasting their time, which leads them to miss out on passengers.
Some pedestrians also expressed their views and experiences while trying to use the Zebra cross.
Most of them described Zebra Cross in Ghana as a death trap due to the dangers surrounding its usage. With such confusion and lack of cooperation between drivers and Pedestrians on our roads it will be good if the relevant stakeholders such as the Department of Urban Roads of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, National Road Safety Commission, officials of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department of the Ghana Police Service identify short- and long-term measures to improve pedestrian safety and driver compliance at zebra crossings in the metropolis.
