A joint Task Force has been set up to patrol major roads in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs for 24 hours to enforce road traffic regulations.
It is formed by the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA), the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) and the Road Safety Commission in Kumasi.
The task force will arrest and prosecute drivers who use rickety vehicles, especially those that have various defects, causing them to break down frequently on the roads.
It will also arrest and prosecute drivers who use vehicles with defective brakes, especially Nissan Urvan and 207 Mercedes Benz buses with dismantled rear brakes, which they said cause a number of road accidents.
The DVLA Manager in Kumasi, Mr Noah Tettey Matey, announced this in Kumasi as part of the educational campaigns to create awareness among motorists on the need to be circumspect on the road before, during and after the Christmas festivities to reduce road traffic accidents .
He pointed out that as part of the exercise, drivers without driving license, as well as those who drive with expired driving licences would not be spared.
He said “Those who also drive with inappropriate class of license, as well as those who drive with photocopy licenses would be arrested and prosecuted” .
Mr Matey pointed out that it was important for drivers to have fire extinguishers, warning triangles, insurance and road worthy certificate in their vehicles to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Expressing concern about the increased accident rate in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, he said the time had come for stakeholders to join hands with road safety campaigners to educate motorists for them to abide by safety regulations, stressing that “safety on the road, as we all know, is a collective and shared responsibility of all road users”
He mentioned human error, the poor state of road networks, mechanical faults and weather conditions as the contributory factors to carnage on the road.
Explaining, he said drivers need to be disciplined by avoiding wrong overtaking, speeding both on the highways and residential areas, and drunk driving, among others, to enhance sanity on the road. He said drivers should also replace worn out tires and undertake regular maintenance of their vehicles.
The Regional DVLA boss said it was equally important for motorists to be weary of visibility conditions when driving and explained that since visibility was also very low in the night, drivers should dim their lights to avoid blinding the view of the oncoming driver.
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