By: ignewss – ACCRA, Ghana
Pressure is mounting on the government to review the deployment of speed cameras on Ghanaian roads, with civil society group Action for Justice calling for visible camera installations and prominent warning signs ahead of monitored road sections.
The group says although it supports the government’s efforts to tackle speeding and reduce road crashes through technology, concealing speed cameras without adequate advance warning could undermine their primary road safety objective.
In a statement issued in Accra and signed by Bright Boadi, Executive Secretary and Convener of Action for Justice, the group argued that speed cameras should serve as a deterrent to dangerous driving rather than become instruments for catching motorists unaware.
It called on the government, through the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, to ensure that speed cameras are clearly visible and that large warning signboards are installed ahead of every camera surveillance zone.
According to the group, advance notification would give motorists the opportunity to adjust their speed before reaching monitored sections of the road.
It cited practices in some developed countries, where warning signs are placed ahead of speed camera locations to encourage compliance with speed limits.
Action for Justice maintained that the ultimate objective of road safety enforcement should be to prevent crashes and save lives rather than focus primarily on arrests and fines.
“If our aim is truly to save lives and not just to arrest and fine drivers, then let us adopt the best practice. Let the cameras be visible. Let the signboards speak before the camera flashes,” the statement said.
The group urged the Ministry of Roads and Highways, the Ghana Police Service and the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to consider its proposals, describing visibility, fairness and transparency as essential elements of effective road safety enforcement.
SOURCE: www.ignewss.com