Monrovia — Road Safety Action International (RSAI) saysfor more than three decades, road safety in Liberia has remained an unresolved crisis, resulting in thousands of deaths and leaving many more with life-altering injuries.
RSAI said the continued loss of lives on Liberian roads is unacceptable and demands urgent national intervention.
"The lack of political will, weak enforcement of traffic laws, and inaction across successive administrations have placed Liberia's road safety situation in a perilous state. Among the most affected are operators of two- and three-wheelers (motorbikes and kekehs), who are at the center of this escalating disaster," the organization said.
A Crisis Ignored: Government's Piecemeal Approach to Road Safety
According to RSAI Successive governments have failed to implement sustainable road safety measures, instead opting for haphazard and reactionary restrictions on motorcycle movements. These short-term bans on certain roads have failed to address the root causes of road crashes, merely shifting the dangers elsewhere. Road safety should not be treated as an afterthought but as a core national development priority.
Deadly Road Incidents That Could Have Been Prevented
The group said reecent fatal crashes underscore the gravity of the crisis: the Totota Inferno Incident, multiple deadly crashes on the Kakata and Buchanan highways and the sewer truck that crashed into a motorcycle rider near the Gabriel Tucker Bridge recently.
These tragedies, like many others, could have been prevented with proper road safety policies and enforcement.
Despite repeated calls for action, Liberia continues to experience a surge in motorcycle-related crashes, driven by weak national road safety management, reckless driving behaviors (speeding, drunk driving, driving in the wrong lane), lack of essential road safety features, unregulated vehicle importation, absence of roadworthiness inspections, inadequate post-crash emergency response
Call for Responsibility Among Motorcycle Unions
While addressing these systemic issues, Road Safety Action International (RSAI) strongly condemns the violent responses by motorcyclists following crashes. Rioting and attacking law enforcement officers are not solutions. Instead, RSAI urges the Merged Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union of Liberia (M-FOMTUL) to promote helmet use, ensure proper rider attire and foster a culture of responsible riding.
Urgent Measures Needed
RSAI, in a statement, called on the Liberia National Police (LNP) must enforce traffic laws more effectively. However, enforcement should be systematic and organized rather than chaotic or overly punitive. For example, when a motorcyclist is stopped for a traffic violation, authorities should ensure they can safely park off the road instead of creating additional hazards.
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National Stakeholder Dialogue on Road Safety
To ensure a comprehensive and structured response to this crisis, RSAI is calling for anurgent National Stakeholder Dialogue on Road Safety. This dialogue should bring together government agencies, transport unions, civil society organizations, law enforcement authorities and local and international partners.
The goal is to develop a clear, actionable national strategy that addresses the rising number of road crashes, particularly those involving motorcycles and tricycles.
The Time for Talk Is Over--Action Is Needed
The rising fatalities and injuries on Liberia's roads have reached a critical level, creating widespread tension. RSAI has been actively engaging local, national, and globalstakeholders to advocate for sustained financing for road safety in Liberia.
Liberia cannot afford to continue ignoring road safety while innocent citizens perish daily. The era of political lip service must end, and the government must take decisive action now to protect lives and make roads safer for all.
