Kwaku Ofori Asiamah
The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has announced the implementation of automated traffic enforcement as a new measure towards curbing carnages on the roads.
According to him, automation of traffic enforcement will remove the human interface from the detection, apprehension and issue of fines to traffic law violators.
Speaking at the launch of the National Road Safety Authority’s (NRSA’s) ‘Stay Alive Road Safety Campaign’ in Accra, the minister stated that automated traffic enforcement works best when the driving public is given the perception that they can be checked for traffic violations anytime, anywhere.
He said the automated traffic enforcement programme formed part of the recommended measures by the Inter-Ministerial Committee to reduce road traffic crashes in the country after re-assessing the road safety issues.
Mr. Asiamah disclosed that other interventions included enforcement of regulations on two drivers for long distance journeys, mandatory rest period for drivers and pre-departure checks at transport terminals; installation of speed limiters in certain vehicles; and mandatory refresher training for commercial vehicle drivers.
“Implementations of the recommendations have already started. Over the past few weeks, the National Road Safety Authority commenced the enforcement of two drivers for long distance journeys and the removal of non-prescribed lamps on vehicles,” he indicated.
Supt. Dr. Samuel Sasu Mensah of the Motor Traffic & Transport Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police said the ‘Stay Alive’ campaign was aimed at advocating a positive change and providing a speedy response to road safety challenges.
“Traffic accidents within last week in the Ashanti Region in three successive days have claimed two more lives at Pankrono, a suburb of Tafo Municipality,” he asserted.
According to him, the latest road traffic accident in the Ashanti Region brings to 28 the lives lost in three accidents in three days.
Supt. Mensah said records from January to October 2021 by the MTTD indicated that 13,244 road traffic accident cases were reported, and these involved 33,408 vehicles.
He revealed that 12,899 persons were injured whilst 2,380 people died during this period under review, adding that “these statistics indicate a rise in our 15% of fatalities and 4.0% in mortalities. This situation is quite worrisome to the entire motoring public.”
Board Chairman of NRSA, Jermaine Nkrumah said the statistics on the road crashes and casualties, which formed the centre piece of discussion at the launch, has not improved.
Mr. Nkrumah said the launch was only the beginning of well-thought-out comprehensive programmes and strategies to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths which have been christened: CIDs.
By Ernest Kofi Adu