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Remove your unapproved lamps or we remove them and prosecute you — Road Safety Authority declare war on tipper trucks

Social News Remove your unapproved lamps or we remove them and prosecute you — Road Safety Authority declare war on tipper trucks
OCT 8, 2021 LISTEN

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has begun a week of education on unapproved lamps on vehicles across the country.

The Authority after the first week of education and sensitization on the illegal use of unprescribed lamps has vowed to handover recalcitrant drivers to the police for prosecution.

According to the Authority, such vehicles with stronger light blinds other road users exposing them to roads crashes, especially at night.

In collaboration with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police and the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), the NRSA begun what it calls a “Coordinated Enforcement Action” across the country to remove those illegal lamps and initiate prosecution of offending drivers on Thursday.

The Grearer Accra Regional Manager of the Authority Mrs. Catherine Hamilton who led the action on the first day advised drivers and vehicle owners to voluntarily comply with the law to avoid any inconveniences.

Describing the first day of Action as successful, she was however surprised that over 90 percent of haulage trucks at the Wenko yard at Tema Harbor were culprits.

Mrs. Hamilton said the Authority would be visiting transport terminals like the Neoplan, VIP, among others to remove or disconnect the lamps from their buses.

She also told private vehicle users, especially Toyota Land Cruisers to do the needful by removing all unprescribed lamps from their vehicles to avoid the inconvenience of the law when they are met on the road.

“Whatever additional lamps you have put on the vehicle by yourself which blinds other road users especially drivers at night, must be removed immediately or we shall remove it for you and you shall face the law in addition,” she warned.

She cautioned particularly users of commercial vehicles to use standard and approved lights certified by the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) to help control road accidents in the country.

According to her, the exercise is an enforcement of Regulation 65 of the Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, 2012.

Sgt Vivian Agbemenyale of the Tema MTTD who was with the team said the use of unprescribed lamps cause accidents which leads to the loss of lives and further putting the lives of other road users in danger.

She cautioned the haulage drivers and other drivers to remove the lamps or “we will remove it for you when we meet you and prosecute you in addition.”

Regulation 65 of L.I.2180 requires that;

1. Vehicles or trailers shall be equipped with electric lighted lamps or another kind as approved by the Licensing Authority;

2. A vehicle shall have two lamps in front with one on each side of the motor vehicle and placed in a manner that exhibit a white or yellow visible light within prescribed distance and to indicate the width of the vehicle;

3. Vehicles may be fitted with additional one or two auxiliary spots or flood lamps;

4. A driving lamp is not placed in a manner that allows the lamp to project above the bottom of the frame of the windscreen; and

5. Though a maximum of four driving and spot or flood lamps are allowed, the electrical switching should be arranged to allow the use of only two of those lamps at a time.

James Appiakorang
James Appiakorang

News ContributorPage: JamesAppiakorang

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