The Ministry of transport in collaboration with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, the National Road Safety Authority and The Motor Traffic Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service has held a two-day stakeholders consultative forum on road traffic crashes and review of the Road Traffic Regulation 2012, L.I. 2180 to improve road safety and security.
The Road Traffic Regulations was passed by Parliament in July 2012 to give effect to the enforcement of Road Traffic Act 2004, (Act 683). Significant provisions of the regulations have been implemented and enforcement ongoing.
Some of the provisions are also yet to be implemented due to identified technical and legal deficiencies associated with them. There are also emerging practices in the road transport industry that have necessitated the need for the review to control the potential adverse repercussions and also adopt international best practices.
Welcoming participants to the forum, a Deputy Ministry for Transport, Hon. Hassan Tampuli told participants to share their ideas and bring their expertise to bear on the sections of the regulations that are to be amended.
He noted the forum could not have come at a better time because accidents have increased in the recent time and measures needed to be put in place to curb this worrying trend. “Measure that can be put in place to reduce the rate of accidents includes reviewing some sections of the act”, the Deputy Minister added.
Hon. Tampuli said discussions should be done intellectually devoid of emotions so that the sections to be amended would stand the test of time, meet international standards and help curb road fatalities.
He thanked the Driver and Vehicle License Authority (DVLA), National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) for helping put the forum together.