Ghana’s new digital traffic enforcement system has uncovered extreme speeding among motorists, with some drivers recorded travelling at more than 130 kilometres per hour in areas where the speed limit is 50km/h.
The violations were captured on Sunday, November 1, the first day of the deployment of TrafficTech-GH, a technology-driven system introduced to strengthen road traffic monitoring and enforcement.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director of Education, Research and Training at the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) and Project Coordinator of TrafficTech-GH, said the initial findings raised serious concerns about motorists’ compliance with road safety regulations.
In an interview in Accra on Monday, he identified Boundary Road, School Junction, Mallam and Kasoa among the locations where the Police recorded instances of excessive speeding.
He said some drivers, including those operating private saloon cars and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), were travelling at speeds more than twice the prescribed limit despite the availability of speed-limit signs.
The Police have subsequently issued electronic traffic violation notices to the owners of the affected vehicles, supported by photographic and video evidence of the alleged offences.
Each notice contains details of the vehicle’s registration, registered owner, time and location of the violation, the applicable offence, penalty and payment deadline.
ACP Obeng said vehicle owners had 14 days to settle the fines or challenge the alleged violations through the designated online platform.
The digital system allows recipients to examine the evidence captured before deciding whether to make payment or contest the notices.
He said the introduction of electronic enforcement was intended to make traffic violations more difficult to evade by providing verifiable evidence of motorists’ conduct, including on roads where Police officers were not physically stationed.
The Police official identified speeding as one of the leading causes of preventable road fatalities, accounting for more than 60% of deaths resulting from road crashes.
He therefore urged motorists to observe prescribed speed limits, warning that excessive speed continued to put drivers, passengers and other road users at risk.
“Speed kills, reduce it now,” he said, referring to the safety message displayed on the electronic violation notices.
On concerns about inadequate or missing speed-limit signs, ACP Obeng said the Police were engaging the relevant road authorities, including the Ghana Highway Authority and the Department of Urban Roads, to address the gaps.
He maintained, however, that the absence of road signs should not give motorists the justification to drive recklessly.
He explained that drivers were generally expected to maintain speeds of 50km/h within built-up areas and 90km/h outside such areas, subject to specific limits imposed by road authorities.
He said motorists should also consider their surroundings, including nearby buildings, human settlements and pedestrian activity, when determining appropriate driving speeds.
According to him, speed restrictions could change along the same stretch of road depending on accident records, pedestrian movement and the presence of vulnerable road users.
ACP Obeng said the TrafficTech-GH deployment followed a period of public education aimed at preparing motorists for the shift towards technology-based traffic enforcement.
The system uses fixed and mobile digital devices to capture traffic offences and transmit electronic notices to vehicle owners, providing an evidence-based approach to prosecuting violations.
Its full deployment began on November 1 after the initial October 1 implementation date was postponed to allow for further public sensitisation.
He expressed optimism that the availability of photographic and audiovisual evidence, coupled with electronic notification and penalties, would discourage dangerous driving and improve compliance with traffic regulations.
The Police expect the technology to contribute to reducing road crashes, injuries and fatalities by changing motorists’ behaviour and strengthening enforcement across the country’s roads.
