In a new offensive against motorbike riders’ indiscipline, especially those who jump red light at traffic intersections, the Ghana Police Service have arrested over 250 motorbike riders.
Operation Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (PAARI), which began in April 2022, is a road safety intervention and it is intended to check indiscipline among motorcycle users on the roads, the anomaly being responsible for many road accidents in the country, a police source told DAILY GUIDE.
Defaulting motorbike riders will find police riders trailing them to their final destinations and arrested for the offence of jumping red lights or even riding on pedestrian pavements.
A police source told DAILY GUIDE that the idea is not about arresting but instilling self-discipline among citizens.
There have been instances where defaulters were only sensitised about their offences and the implications and subsequently educated on the importance of being law-abiding.
Police records show that since the introduction of the programme, the incidence of red light jumping, facing oncoming traffic and riding on pavements have witnessed drastic reductions.
“The benefits of Operation PAARI is reflected in available data on road traffic accidents in the country, which indicates that for the first time in a long while, road traffic crashes involving motorbikes have reduced significantly,” a police statement has added.
In order to sustain the gains made in this regard, the police have intensified the Operation PAARI and deployed special teams at traffic intersections starting from Accra, the statement said.
“Officers who are also on motorbikes will patiently follow any rider who jumps the red light to their destination, confront them with the offence and arrest them. This is to create a sense of certainty of arrest and thereby encourage some level of self discipline among the riding public,” said part of the statement.
The police have commended “all law abiding riders for adhering to road traffic regulations,” adding “we would like to caution recalcitrant riders against the blatant disregard for traffic regulations since the law will definitely catch up with them,” even as they pleaded for public support in making the programme work.
By A.R. Gomda