We noted in this column yesterday (Tuesday) that about two or three years ago, the police, in collaboration with Citi TV, were on the streets of Accra arresting drivers who were disobeying traffic rules. The exercise, which was carried out during the peak traffic hours, saw the arrest of several people, irrespective of their status in society.
The development, we stated, brought orderliness on our roads, as those driving Land Cruiser vehicles and other expensive cars began to respect traffic regulations.
The Chronicle, however, noted that because Citi TV cameras have stopped going round the city, the police have also relaxed.
As a matter of fact, we continued, there is a complete breakdown of law and order on our roads. The V8 and Land Cruiser vehicle owners have gone back to what they were doing in the past – disrespecting traffic rules.
On the Accra-Kasoa, Accra-Nsawam, Tema-Aflao roads and some of the inner roads in the national capital, these vehicles are driven with careless abandon.
The drivers see themselves as supper humans who do not have to join traffic queues. They sometimes drive in the opposite lanes, forcing incoming vehicles to adopt defence driving techniques to avoid a head on collision.
Interestingly, the police, we again argued, are sometimes seen around, but they are afraid to rein in these erring drivers. We, therefore, pleaded with IGP Dampare to deal with the situation.
However, at the time we were expressing our opinion on the issue, the police Management Board was also meeting members of the Ghana Bar Association in Accra.
At that meeting, the police revealed that they would soon introduce ‘Traffitech –Gh’, an automated spot fine system meant to enforce road traffic laws and regulations to improve road safety in the country.
The system would use cameras and sensors different from the already existing surveillance cameras to automatically take pictures and videos of vehicles that flout road traffic laws and regulations.
The project, which is currently at the nationwide engagement level, seeks to increase compliance of road traffic laws and regulations to reduce road crashes, deaths and injuries.
According to the police, the Traffictech-Gh would deploy fixed mobile/in vehicle and radar gun devices to capture errant drivers speeding, jumping traffic lights, and other offences.
Pictures and/or videos recorded of the offence would be transmitted to the back office, a special office created to validate and issue notification of fine via SMS for the vehicle owner to pay.
The SMS notification would be accompanied by a link for the vehicle owner to watch where he or she committed the offence and this will include date, time, and location.
Furthermore, the Trafftech-Gh notification would indicate the vehicle registration number, offence description, payment amount and deadline of 14 days, after which it will attract one percent (1%) penalty daily.
Clearly, this is an innovation the current police administration is introducing and we applaud them for that. As we indicated yesterday, people are nowadays driving carelessly on our roads because there is nothing to check them.
Trafftech-Gh app will, therefore, help to sanitise the situation. Our only concern is how drivers using low standard mobile phones, popularly known in Ghana as ‘Yam’ can receive videos and pictures of the offence they have committed.
It is our hope that the police management board would look at the issue critically before rolling out the app nationwide. No matter what happens, we still think the police have done a yeoman’s job and must be congratulated for that. The technology they are about to introduce has been in existence especially in the advanced countries for years, but as the adage goes, it is better late than never.
