NRSA TO SANCTION TRANSPORT OPERATORS OVER REGULATORY DIRECTIVES FROM DECEMBER 5

published: Dec. 8, 2022, 11:18 a.m.

(Accra, 28th November, 2022) The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has in a Regulatory Alert warned transport operators providing inter-city services to comply with directives on the use of vehicle log books and relay driving (two drivers per long-distance journey) or pay an administrative penalty of at least GHs60,000. The Regulatory Alert also warns vehicle owners or transport operators against the use of unprescribed lamps and reckless driver behaviour.

To ensure compliance with these road safety protocols, Road Safety Inspector would increase their presence at major transport terminals to inspect the use of logbooks. The Authority would collaborate with the MTTD of the Ghana Police to enforce these directives at major highway checkpoints across the country.

The Director of Regulations, Inspections & Compliance explains the rationale ‘this to scale up enforcement actions ahead of the busy festive seasons. Driving beyond permissible hours poses such a huge risk to road users and cannot be overlooked any further. In addition to the terminal and highway enforcement actions, there will be several mystery passengers joining trips to observe the quality of driving during the season.’

He emphasised that the exercise is targeted at transport companies, unions and institutions. They ought to exercise control over the drivers, and if they fail, they may have to pay for the sins of the drivers and third-party owners working under their brand name.

In March 2021, the Authority issued a regulatory directive to all intercity operators on trips exceeding eight hours or 500km to use vehicle log books and deploy two drivers, among others, to minimise the risk of driver fatigue. The Authority will, from December 5, 2022, intensify enforcement action to ensure compliance.

The NRSA is mandated to reduce road traffic crashes through enforcement and implementation of road safety standards while ensuring that institutions providing road safety-related services comply with these standards to minimise road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths.

This year, there has been a relative improvement in road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths and the enforcement action forms part of a broader programme to sustain the gains ahead of the busy season. Provisional statistics available to Authority indicate that, the number of crashes reported, injuries and deaths from January to October 2022 has reduced by 6.61%, 0.33% and 18.18% over the same period of 2021.

Source: NRSA Communications Bureau

GALLERY