Road Safety Officers to Join MTTD Officers on Roads

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced plans to deploy its officers, alongside officers from the Motor, Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), to roads across the country.

This is aimed at minimizing the rate of road accidents which it observes has skyrocketed within the last month.

Of four crashes recorded within the period, it observed that 30 persons had died while many escaped with various degrees of injuries. It found that these accidents were a result of excessive speeding, parental irresponsibility, and reckless driving.

They will therefore be deployed along roads to ensure compliance with road traffic regulations, effective November 1.

“To ensure a reduction in crashes, injuries, and deaths, the Authority, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, will deploy MTTD Officers and Road Safety Inspectors on all major road corridors across the country from 1st November 2024 to ensure strict compliance with road traffic regulations and road safety operational standards.”

Directives
Ahead of that, the Authority has enjoined all commercial road transport, transport departments and units of public agencies and private organizations, including school bus services and ride-hailing service operators, yet to register their operations or services with the Authority, to do so immediately.

Failure to comply, it noted will attract sanctions as stipulated by the National Road Safety Authority Act, 2019 (Act 993) or National Road Safety Regulations, 2022 (L.I.2468).

Also, inter-city passenger (long-distance) commercial road transport companies, unions, or operators are directed to ensure the implementation of prescribed road safety standards and controls, including Pre-departure Checks, Passenger Manifest, Speed control, and Driver Tracking among others.

Furthermore, all persons or individuals operating commercial passenger and goods services, known as “floating” or ‘waa-waa’ should take steps to regularize their operations by registering with a recognized Commercial Transport Union or Company by March 31, 2025.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini