Automate our operations in dealing with road accidents - MTTD to govt

The Motor Transport and Traffic Directorate (MTTD) of the Ghana Police service has called on government to roll out an automated mechanism to be used in the enforcement of road traffic regulations.

This, according to the MTTD is a sure way of fighting indiscipline on roads which leads to motor accidents.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Director of Education, Research and Training at MTTD, Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said his outfit needs to be equipped with automated enforcement facilities so better results.

“Basically, in modern road safety best practices, we need to increase sense of detection, apprehension in order to achieve high compliance. We always have to deploy ICT devices that will enable us to gather evidence of indiscipline on our roads.”

He added that the use of ‘unfit’ vehicles and poor vehicle maintenance culture is one of the leading causes of road accidents in the country.

“In Ghana, we have a culture of using vehicles for a long time, and we also use vehicles as economic tools, and as a means of employment, and people who depend on it for their livelihood. And also, as a result of indiscipline among other reasons, like maintaining their vehicles and ensuring that they are safer,” Superintendent Obeng stated.

According to the National Road and Safety Commission (NRSC) between 1991 and 2018, an estimated 46,284 people lost their lives from road traffic accidents.

Road traffic accidents or carnages recorded in Ghana seems to be increasing as the years go by.

In March 2020, data from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service revealed that road accidents killed 202 people nationwide.

The current estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have revealed that 1.35 million deaths recorded yearly are from road traffic accidents.