MTTU moves to prevent road traffic accidents

Accra, Sept. 19, GNA - The Police Motor Traffic Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service on Monday mounted a nation-wide exercise on the roads to ascertain some of the problems that had contributed to the increase in road accident in recent times.

The special exercise would afford the MTTU the opportunity to develop new strategies to check motorists, who violate the road traffic regulations and further make feasible recommendation to policy makers. Officers positioned on the Legon - Madina road found out that most motorists refused to wear their seat belts or helmets for various reasons.

While some claimed they felt uncomfortable wearing seat belts, some motor riders gave the flimsy excuses that they were coming from the fitting shops and were arrested.

A taxi with registration number ER 762P, was spotted with tinted glasses, while a number of other private and public vehicles drivers were arrested because either their insurance or road worthy certificates had expired.

Deputy Commander of the MTTU, Mr Stanley Matthew Aboagye, reminded motorists that it was an offence to drive or ride without wearing a seat or helmets.

"It is for our own safety that we should wear seat belts and constantly maintain our vehicles to ensure that they are road worthy," he said. Mr Aboagye said the MTTU would do all it could to track down recalcitrant drivers, who violated the law.

He said the Police Service had waged war against those Policemen, who compromised with motorists by accepting bribes and added: "He who offers bribe is as guilty as the recipient."

He reminded Police Officers to maintain self-discipline to help to save lives.