A total of 38 drivers have been arrested by the police for driving above the posted speed limit on the Kojo Thompson Road and the Korle-bu Mortuary Road in Accra on a special operation.
The operation which was under the auspices of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nyarko of Central Motor Traffic and Transport Department (C/MTTD) forms part of ongoing activities to complement a mass media campaign on speeding to ensure sanity on the roads.
The suspects including 22 commercial vehicle drivers and 16 private vehicle drivers were arrested with the use of the new laser cam 4-speed detection device which was recently donated to the police by the AMA-BIGRS.
Central MTTD Commander, ACP Fosu Ackaah, assured that police was poised to crack down on motorists who speed above the posted speed limits and urged them to look out for the posted speed limit signs on all road corridors and observe them.
“Speeds on our roads is getting serious by the day. That is why we appreciate the gesture by the AMA-BIGRS to support us with new speed detection device. Now that we have been very well equipped, we will ensure that all speeding drivers are apprehended and prosecuted for in accordance with the law, we will also check drivers who drink and drive, the use of seat belt and correct helmet use. I will, therefore, urge all drivers to be on the lookout for speed limit signs on all road corridors and drive within those limits to prevent pedestrian knockdowns, “he said.
The Initiative Coordinator for AMA/BIGRS, Mr Osei Kufuor emphasised the need for regular speed enforcement activities in the city to reduce speeding, adding that a majority of drivers in the city drive above the posted speed limit.
“An observational study carried out by the Johns Hopkins University pointed out that 77% of all drivers in the city drive above the posted speed limit. Higher speeds account for a higher percentage of all road crash fatalities, the higher your speed, the more serious the injury when your vehicle collides with a pedestrian, motorist or another vehicle.”
He used the opportunity to admonish drivers to slow down and observe the posted speed limits when driving in the city of Accra to save lives.
AMA
