DVLA set to beef up road safety with surveillance cameras and enhanced licence plate

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has taken significant steps to improve road safety in Accra and other parts of Ghana.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the DVLA, Mr. Kwasi Agyemang Busia, the introduction of advanced licence plates and increased surveillance is part of a broader strategy to ensure safer roads.

Mr. Busia highlighted the challenges with the current licence plates, noting their susceptibility to damage and the difficulties in tracking vehicles involved in accidents. To address this, the DVLA has rolled out new, more resilient licence plates that can be easily identified by traffic cameras.

“We are bringing more advanced licence plates that can be linked directly to the driver,” he stated.

Mr. Busia added that the new system will allow for quicker identification of vehicles and drivers, especially in cases of traffic violations.

“If you see cameras across the big city, Accra or elsewhere, it’s not for nothing. If you are speeding or run a red light, DVLA knows it well, you’ll get a love letter in your mail to appear in court,” Mr. Busia has warned.

Mr. Busia further stared that these measures are currently in the distribution stage, with the new plates already available in the country. He indicated that they adey working closely with the judicial service to ensure traffic offenders are held accountable.

“These are the steps we are taking to create a more secure and safe environment for drivers,” Mr. Busia added.

The initiative is part of the DVLA’s ongoing efforts to leverage technology in enhancing road safety and ensuring compliance with traffic regulations to reduce the number of road accidents and improve overall traffic management in Ghana.

About 2,000 dead through road accidents since the beginning of 2024 – NRSA

In a related development, Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), David Osafo Adonteng, revealed that about 2,000 people had so far died through road accidents since the beginning of the year.

According to the the director, out of the number death recorded, 75 percent are males and 25 percent are females and on average, eight persons die daily in the country through road accidents.

He stated that despite the efforts of the NRSA and its collaborators, road safety statistics remained alarming and called on road users to prioritise safety.

The Director-General stressed the importance of road safety as a shared responsibility requiring a collective effort from drivers, passengers, pedestrians and all other road users.

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