A special operation by the Police, as part of the Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (PAARI) programme, have led to the arrest of over 250 motorbikers for jumping the red light in the country’s capital.
The Police, in April 2022, introduced “OPERATION PAARI,” a road safety intervention to check indiscipline among motorcycle users on the country roads which was becoming a major cause of road traffic accidents.
As part of the strategy, motorcycle users who were arrested in violation of road traffic regulations and other traffic offences within the period were sensitised and taken through some road traffic education and subsequently cautioned to be law-abiding.
Following the introduction of the initiative, it has been observed that a good number of riders are now obeying traffic regulations, especially in the areas of not jumping the red light, avoiding riding on pedestrian walkways and facing oncoming traffic.
The benefit 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.
In order to sustain the gains made in this regard, the Police have intensified the Operation PAARI and have deployed special teams at traffic intersections starting from Accra.
The 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.
A statement released by the police read that “In the past three days over 250 motorbike riders have been arrested for jumping the red light at various traffic intersections in Accra. All the arrested riders will be taken through road safety education and the dangers their conduct pose to themselves and other road users; after which they will be taken through the due process of the law.”
While the police commend all law-abiding riders for adhering to road traffic regulations, they cautioned recalcitrant riders against the blatant disregard for traffic regulations, saying that the law will definitely catch up with them.
By Vincent Kubi