The Director of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, has defended the introduction of TraffiTech, insisting that road safety education and public sensitisation alone cannot curb indiscipline on Ghana’s roads without stringent enforcement.
He said the deployment of automated traffic enforcement technology was necessary to strengthen the police’s capacity to deal with motorists who disregard traffic regulations, particularly speed limits.
According to him, Ghana’s experience over the years has demonstrated that educating motorists about road safety without backing it with effective enforcement would do little to change their behaviour.
Speaking on Newsfile over the weekend, ACP Obeng said: “Road safety sensitisation, education, information sharing, without stringent enforcement, is a statement.”
He explained that the introduction of TraffiTech represented an important development in Ghana’s long-standing efforts to regulate road use and protect lives and property.
Tracing the country’s road traffic regulatory journey, he said Ghana had been working to address road indiscipline since 1952, when the Road Traffic Ordinance No. 55 was introduced.
He noted that successive legislative interventions had strengthened the country’s road traffic framework, culminating in the latest amendments that provide for automated enforcement of traffic offences.
The MTTD director cited the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), its subsequent amendments, including Act 1153, and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), as part of the legal framework underpinning the new enforcement approach.
Speeding A Major Concern
ACP Obeng identified speeding as one of the major challenges confronting road safety authorities, disclosing that MTTD data suggested that approximately 60 to 62 out of every 100 people killed or seriously injured in road crashes were victims of incidents involving excessive or inappropriate speeding.
He said the department’s experience in investigating road crashes had reinforced the need for more effective measures to address the problem.
According to him, the police had consistently investigated reported crashes and engaged with pathologists to understand the circumstances surrounding road fatalities.
He lamented that motorists continued to exceed prescribed speed limits even on newly constructed roads where speed limit signs had been clearly displayed.
He cited instances on some roads where motorists were detected travelling at speeds of between 130 and 140 kilometres per hour in areas with a prescribed limit of 50 kilometres per hour.
Smart Cameras Deployed
To address the situation, ACP Obeng disclosed that the police had acquired and deployed smart cameras and other digital enforcement equipment in several parts of the country.
The installations, he said, included cameras mounted on tripods, fixed camera systems and devices embedded in unmarked police vehicles.
He mentioned Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale, Ho, Koforidua and Tema among the locations where the equipment had been deployed.
He explained that the technology would enable the police to identify motorists who violate traffic regulations without necessarily stopping them at the roadside.
He added that the Inspector-General of Police had established a project management team involving relevant public institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), the National Road Safety Authority and the National Insurance Commission.
According to him, the equipment had undergone government verification and police officers had been trained to operate the systems.
14 Days To Challenge Notices
On the procedure for automated traffic fines, ACP Obeng said motorists identified through the system would receive electronic notices of violation containing details of the vehicle, the alleged offence, the date, time and location of the incident, as well as a reference number and a link for further information.
He said motorists would have 14 days to pay the prescribed fine or challenge the notice if they disagreed with the alleged violation.
Those who wished to contest the notices could do so online or visit designated police offices.
He identified the Accra Regional Traffic Technology Contest Office at Tudu as one of the facilities established to handle complaints.
ACP Obeng disclosed that some of the complaints received so far related to the misuse of trade licence plates, failure to transfer vehicle ownership and discrepancies in vehicle data.
He maintained that the objective of TraffiTech was not to unfairly punish motorists but to improve compliance with road traffic regulations and protect lives.
He said the police remained committed to using technology and stronger enforcement measures to address road indiscipline and reduce preventable deaths and injuries.
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