The Head of Education, Research and Training at the Ghana Police Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD), Superintendent Alexander Obeng is entreating government to adopt the use of sophisticated technology to address the issue of road accidents.
Speaking with Evans Mensah on PM Express Monday, he intimated that many developed countries have sought the use of traffic sensors to reduce road carnage, thus Ghana could pick a cue from such countries and do same.
"Given the hundreds and thousands of vehicles that are added to the existing stock we have, elsewhere they deploy cameras. For example, traffic sensors. They have traffic sensors and it is able to detect the vehicle registration number, whether you are above the speed limit, whether you have not done your MID or insurance. These are the ways.
"When you have traffic sensors, it is like the police officer who is there but absent at the scene," he stated.
His comments fall on the back of JoyNews' hotline documentary dubbed "CRUSHED" which highlights the increasing death rates on Ghana's roads since the beginning of the year.
According to Superintendent Alexander Obeng, the world including Ghana has outgrown the use of police personnel deployed on roads to check traffic, therefore the need to invest in technology.
"Everywhere, supporting police traffic operations or MTTD is done with technology. For example, elsewhere you will not necessarily see traffic police officers raising their hand, stopping vehicles, checking whether you have done your road worthy or done your insurance. It is never done anywhere," he added.
He further elaborated that such a system would aid in finding culprits who breach road safety signs since the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has a compiled information of vehicle users in the country in its database system.
"We have a database of all vehicle owners, we have automated at DVLA. We have a database of all license holders. What prevents us from having a system that will integrate, sit on this data?
"All vehicles owners have done compulsory insurance and this now automated. That police with his phone dialling 92057# can enter your vehicle number and can know if the vehicle is insured or not. What prevents Ghana from having a system which will integrate and give real solution to who has committed what offence?… And the state will come to the MTTD with the evidence of having committed one offence or the other that otherwise would have led to a crash and then you [the culprit] will receive the sanction on your phone," he explained.
From the month of January to March, 771 persons have been reported dead by the Ghana Police Service due to road accidents.
The alarming rate has led to several individuals and institutions admonishing the state and Ghanaians to enforce and adhere to road safety laws respectively.
Director-General of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ing. May Obiri-Yeboah during the premier of JoyNews' documentary "CRUSHED" used the opportunity to urge persons in high positions in society to desist from actions that impede the works of the Police Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD).
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