The Winneba District Director of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Rowland Coffie Dorkenoo, and the Agona Sweduro Divisional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ASP Thomas Twumasi Annan, have expressed regret about the blatant disregard for road safety regulations by road users at Agona Sweduro in the Central Region.
The concerns were raised during a two-day road safety sensitisation and enforcement exercise by the DVLA in conjunction with the MTTD in the area.
As part of the road enforcement exercise, driving licenses, brake lights, shock absorbers of vehicles, overloading of cars and motorcycles, and many other items were checked.
In the process, vehicles that did not have approved DVLA reflectors were made to acquire them. About eighty per cent of commercial cars that were seen to have tainted their glasses were also forced to remove them.
Some riders of motorcycles and tricycles without protective clothing were stopped and advised to procure one to avoid fatalities on the road, and also qualify for the needed compensations during emergencies.
Mr Rowland Coffie Dorkenoo disclosed that as part of the two-day road sensitisation and enforcement exercise, his outfit would inspect vehicles, particularly shock absorbers, lights, and reflectors.
He also mentioned driving licenses, vehicle documents, overloading, and car tyres as other issues that would be checked.
Mr Coffie Dorkenoo expressed regret about the blatant disregard of road safety regulations in the Agona Sweduro Municipality. He cited some road users driving without a license, tainting of vehicles, driving without approved vehicle reflectors, commercial cars without number plates, and the situation of minors in front seats of commercial vehicles as some offences found during the enforcement exercise.
Touching on the operation of commercial motor bikes and tricycles, Mr Rowland Coffie Dorkenoo pleaded with such riders to procure and use the necessary documentation and protective gadgets before the law begins to deal with them. He expressed worry about how some of these riders are underage, overload the bikes and tricycles, and also engage in other deeds that endanger the lives of innocent passengers.
Mr Dorkenoo revealed that the failure of some drivers and riders to heed road instructions has adversely contributed to the rampant cases of road casualties in the Central Region. He therefore pleaded with all road users to abide by the dos and don’ts of their accepted profession – avoiding unnecessary speeding, wrong overtaking, driving while texting and calling – to save precious lives from avoidable road casualties.
Mr Dorkenoo noted that sanity on the road is a shared responsibility. Hence, the need for all to join hands with road enforcement agencies, such as the DVLA, MTTD, National Road Safety Authority, and the NIC, to either reduce or make Ghana an accident-free country. He urged pedestrians, riders, drivers, and passengers to caution each other against violating road safety regulations and report recalcitrant road users to the appropriate authorities.
The Divisional Commander of the MTTD in the Agona Sweduro Municipality, ASP. Thomas Twumasi Annan noted that his office teamed up with the DVLA to curb irregularities on the road. He lauded the day’s program, most especially about the fact that the MTTD is now geared toward traffic direction.
Mr Thomas Twumasi Annan, therefore, warned, dealing drastically with any riders and drivers caught for not complying with road safety regulations in the Municipality.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
