The Ghana Police Service says the successful implementation of the automated traffic regulatory system dubbed 'Traffitech-GH' will contribute to increasing sense of apprehension and positive behaviour change among road users.

That, it believed, would ensure compliance and adherence to traffic and road safety laws and regulations, and contribute significantly to reducing the high rate of road crashes and deaths in the country.

Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director in charge of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service said this at a stakeholder engagement on the Traffitech-GH policy held at Bolgatanga.

It was organised by the Ghana Police Service in collaboration with the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and brought together major stakeholders in the road safety sector such as transport operators, Heads of Departments, religious and traditional leaders and CSOs.

The Traffitech-GH is an automated system developed by the Ghana Police Service to enforce road traffic laws and regulations to improve road safety in Ghana.

With its implementation, the MTTD would deploy traffic enforcement technology including cameras and sensors to automatically take pictures and videos of vehicles that flout traffic regulations such as speeding and jumping of redlight.

The offences would be automatically transmitted to the office and appropriate fines imposed on the owner of the vehicle.

Other traffic offences that would be enforced under the Traffitech-GH are expired road worthiness certificate, wrongful overtaking, non-use of seatbelts, use of mobile phones while driving, use of expired license, driving with an uninsured vehicle and abuse of siren among others.

The innovation is expected to be fully rolled out at the end of 2023.

CSP Obeng, who is also the Project Coordinator for the Traffitech-GH project, said the high rate of road crashes leading to deaths and injuries in the country were unacceptable and attributed the major causes to human behaviour and lack of compliance to road traffic laws and regulations.

He said the Ghana Police Service was digitizing its operations and adopting innovations to promote accurate data gathering and proper policing and called on the stakeholders to support them to deliver.

'It is appropriate to engage the major stakeholders for us to work together so that they can find the system acceptable to them.

'The system will not discriminate against any status, profession or person because what it knows is the registration number on the vehicle, therefore, interference will not happen and it will increase deterrence and sense of apprehension among road users,' he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Darko Offei Lomotey, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, explained that traffic laws and regulations had evolved over the years, however, it required policing to enforce them and achieve maximum impact.

He said with the Traffitech-GH, it would not only help to detect road traffic offences but would promote social order and restore public trust in the police administration and promote voluntary compliance and cooperation from the public.

Mr David Osafo Adonteng, the Acting Director-General of the NRSA, said although there seemed to be a reduction of the road crashes as compared to previous years, the figures were still alarming.

He indicated that as at the end of July 2023, the country recorded over 8,000 road crashes, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 9,000 injuries, adding, 'This is not something that we feel very comfortable with'.

He said the Traffitech-GH was a laudable initiative to reduce road crashes and noted that the NRSA would collaborate effectively with the police to intensify education and advocacy on the project to ensure successful implementation.

Source: Ghana News Agency