Buea Main Road Records Many Accidents Daily

By Moki S. Mokondo in Buea for Mount Fako News Centre

Crossing the double carriage road that runs from the Buea Mile 17 Motor Park to the Central Police Station round-about has been a risky venture since the middle divide was taken off in late 2013. The elevated middle divide that served like the central reservation was removed during preparations marking the 50th Anniversary of the re-unification of Cameroon and replaced barely with white lines.

Though road signs and Zebra Crossings have been added on the road, drivers and even pedestrians have demonstrated lack of knowledge in making use of the present dispensations.
While some pedestrians fail to use the Zebra Crossings, others cross the road while answering or making phone calls. On their part, drivers approach zebra crossings at high speeds which has led to several accidents and deaths on this road.

On the 3rd of April, 2015, a car hit an 18 year old girl who was crossing the road around Bonduma. The driver was almost lynched because he was overtaking a taxi that had slowed down to allow the girl to cross on the zebra crossing(see picture). The driver who was at high speed from behind could not slow down and so diverted his car on the central reserve where he finally hit the young girl who was crossing the road with a bag containing food stuff.
She was rushed to hospital for medical attention but the driver escaped leaving behind his vehicle on seeing that the crowd was approaching his direction. This is just one of several road accidents recorded in Buea on a daily basis.

A civil society organisation is currently working in partnership with the Buea Council to assist pupils and students cross the road on their way to and from school during week days. This civil society organisation sends out staff during the morning and afternoon hours to identify locations where they control the traffic to allow the pupils and students cross the road.
It is risky to many young people and even adults to cross the road out of these identified locations of the road. It is even worse during the evening and weekends especially at night when drivers violate the central reserve to overtake other vehicles.
On crossing the road, pedestrians always stop on the central reservation before continuing to the other side of the road. Drivers who are always in a hurry use the central reservation to overtake other vehicles and as a result hit road users who stand on this portion of the road.

This Central Road (the road from Mile 17 to Upper Buea police station) should have road humps that slow down traffic, no matter what.