Parliament to ban the use of mobile phones by motorists
Parliament is expected to enforce a new law that will ban drivers from talking on their mobile phones whilst driving.
Drivers found breaking the law will be arrested and fined. Authorities hope the new law will help reduce if not curb the increasing incidence of road accidents in the country.
In Ghana, a legislative instrument stipulates that any person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle when used on a road, shall at all times when driving retain complete control over the vehicle and have full visibility of the traffic.
However, the MTTU says the law is not enough and a harsher regulation is needed to assist in bringing down accidents. Authorities hope the new law will be in place by next month.
In 2011, the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service recorded about 2,330 fatalities and 13,572 road crashes nationwide.
Out of the total number, 19,530 vehicles were involved in the crashes recorded. They included commercial vehicles, private motor vehicles and motor cycles.
According to statistics provided by the MTTU, compared to 2010, the number of road crashes and vehicles involved increased marginally by 4.5 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively. Out of the over 13,000 road crashes 1,729 of these accidents were fatal.
The statistics also revealed that 2,255 pedestrians were knocked down in their attempts to cross the roads.
Researchers have shown that having a cell phone pressed to one’s ear while behind the wheel is equivalent to driving while intoxicated. Research also shows that using a mobile phone while driving can be distracting and may increase one’s chances of a crash by as much as four times.
In Australia, it is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving or when the vehicle is stationary; such as stopping at traffic lights, but not parked. And drivers who break this law face an on-the-spot fine and incur three demerit points.
The use of a mobile phone while driving distracts one physically, visually and cognitively since the driver’s attention is more focused on the conversation causing him or her to lose concentration on the road while behind the wheel.
ASP Alexander Obeng of the Police MTTU in an earlier interview with the Globe newspaper noted that the Unit had managed to arrest and prosecute people who had been caught in the act.
By: Naadi Bittlegma, e.tv Ghana
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