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The Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called for the effective implementation of the Road Traffic Regulation, Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180 to reduce death and injuries on the road.

The VALD, a human development-oriented organisation, said the success of the LI is Regulation 157 (Spot Fines), would depend on ensuring transparency and accountability in its implementation to avoid human manipulations.

The call which was made in a statement, signed by Mr Issa Ali, Executive Director of VALD, and copied the Ghana News Agency, said the use of CCTV videos, still cameras and other technologies, would reduce the incidence of human interferences and manipulations.

“Despite the above observations, proceeds from the spot fines should strictly be used transparently to strengthen road safety programmes, including sensitisation and training of targeted road users and funding road safety infrastructure,” he said. 

To ensure broad-based participation, he said, civil society organisations and road users, should be involved in the implementation, the statement said, adding that, the VALD and its allies would continue to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure that the necessary adjustments and amendments were considered.

The NGO commended the Government, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, the National Road Safety Commission, and the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority for the adoption and the preparation towards the implementation of the Regulation.

The VALD welcomed the initiative of the Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to introduce modern technology in addressing road traffic challenges, including accidents and congestions.

The statement said the overall target of the Road Traffic Regulation is to prevent and reduce almost all the avoidable tragic deaths and injuries on the roads caused by road users.

The basic offences outlined in the LI include drink/drug driving, operating television monitors on the dash board, using hand-held communication devices, speeding, jumping traffic light and using minors in the front seat.

The statement said: “The MTTD recorded 2,330 fatalities and 13,572 road crashes nationwide last year, with 1,729 of the accidents being fatal.

     The statement said in 2010 road traffic caused an estimated 1.24 million deaths worldwide according to a World Health Organization (WHO) global report.

     It said, globally 1.2 million people died in 2006 due to road accidents and many of  them were within the young and productive ages of 15 to 29.

     The cost of damage of road accidents, it said, was estimated at $580 million in 2001.