Jaywalkers To Be Arrested

Pedestrians who do not cross roads at designated places would be arrested for traffic offence.�The time for jay walking or kitchen walk is over,� Mr David Adonteng, Director of Planning and Programme, National Road Safety Commission said on Wednesday. He gave the warning while addressing staff of the NRSC at this year�s mid-year review in Kumasi. The review is on the theme: �Scaling up towards the attainment of 2011-2013 Action Plans, Objectives, No Excuse!� Mr Adonteng said pedestrians found guilty of crossing the road �anyhow� could be charged between GH�60 and GH�600. He said increasing vehicle population coupled with pedestrian indiscipline on the road necessitated enforcement of the law. Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, Regulation 154(2) provides that, �a pedestrian who jaywalks or ignores a traffic light signal commits an offence.� Regulation 154(3) also states that �pedestrians who fail to use footbridge or an underpass commits an offence.� Mr Adonteng said asked Fulani herdsmen to provide certified reflective jackets or tags for their cattle at night. The herdsmen should also wear reflective dresses so that they could be seen on the road to reduce road crashes. He said it is illegal for the herdsmen to move their cattle about after 1800 hours without certified reflectors. Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, Executive Director of NRSC charged staff of the Commission to enforce provisions in the Road Traffic Regulations to help reduce road crashes. She said road safety is a collective responsibility and encouraged drivers to patronise the National Drivers Academy Refresher course yearly so that they could renew their licenses easily.