Zen Petroleum, in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), has launched a Safe Drive Campaign aimed at promoting road safety awareness and encouraging responsible driving behaviour across Ghana, especially during the festive season.
The campaign, which will be rolled out along the Accra-Kumasi and Accra -Tarkwah highways, seeks to reduce road traffic crashes through simple, memorable safety messages targeted at drivers and other road users.
The campaign is expected to last for six months, with a potential extension to one year depending on the enrollment rate.
Speaking at the launch, the Retail Director of Zen Petroleum, Prince Awuley, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to saving lives through strong public-private partnerships.
“Every year, thousands of lives are affected by road traffic crashes, many of which are preventable.
These incidents affect not just individuals, but families, communities and the national economy,” he said.
He stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility, noting that the collaboration with the NRSA demonstrates how corporate institutions can support national efforts to reduce road fatalities.
He explained that the Safe Drive Campaign will deliver road safety messages through billboards and other platforms along key transport corridors, including the Accra–Kumasi and Accra–Takoradi highways.
“As a company, safety is central to everything we do — on our roads, in our operations and within the communities we serve,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the Director for Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the NRSA, Alexander Ayatah Atiibo, described the campaign as timely, noting that road traffic crashes remain a major public health concern in Ghana.
He disclosed that Ghana records between 6,000 and 8,000 road traffic-related deaths annually, stressing that the situation requires collective action from government, corporate bodies, the media and the general public.
“We are not here on our own behalf; we are here because of the people of Ghana. Road safety is not the responsibility of one institution. It requires everyone: drivers, passengers, policymakers and businesses, working together,” he said.
He revealed that provisional data for the first 11 months of the year shows a rise in reported road crashes and fatalities, compared to the same period last year, describing the trend as worrying.
According to him, road crashes continue to claim thousands of productive lives annually, costing the country an estimated 1.6 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“These are people in their productive years. Losing them affects families, the labour force and national development,” he noted.
Mr. Atiibo commended Zen Petroleum for partnering with the NRSA, urging more corporate organisations to support road safety initiatives.
“This campaign sends a strong signal that corporate Ghana can play a critical role in saving lives. We encourage others to join so that together we can reverse this trend,” he said.
He further called on drivers to avoid speeding, drunk driving and reckless behaviour, reminding road users that no one is immune to road crashes.
“Every safe decision matters. When you obey traffic rules, you are not just protecting yourself, but everyone else on the road,” he added.
The Safe Drive Campaign focuses on reinforcing responsible driving behaviour, promoting attentiveness, patience and compliance with road safety regulations, and maintaining sustained visibility of safety messages through outdoor media beyond the launch event.
Through consistent messaging and sustained visibility, the campaign is expected to increase public awareness of road safety practices, reinforce positive driving behaviour, support national road safety education efforts and contribute to long-term reductions in road traffic crashes.
