Motorists caught speeding above 130km/h where 50km/h is permitted as Traffitech begins operation

The Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has recorded thousands of speeding offences on the first day of the implementation of its Traffitech system, with some motorists caught travelling above 130km/h on roads with a 50km/h speed limit.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, November 2, the Director of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said the digital traffic monitoring system was activated on Sunday, November 1, with the police using the first day to monitor motorists' behaviour, particularly on open roads where drivers are more likely to exceed speed limits.

According to ACP Obeng, although many motorists complied with the prescribed speed limits, the exercise also uncovered several cases of excessive speeding.

He identified Mahama Road, from Boundary Road, as one of the locations where motorists were captured travelling above 130km/h despite the 50km/h speed limit.

Similar offences were recorded at Boteyman, from School Junction towards the motorway, and along the Mallam-SCC-Kokrobite Junction stretch.

He also mentioned the road from the police station at the toll booth towards Kasoa, as well as the stretch from the toll booth through Amanfrom and over the Kasoa flyover.

ACP Obeng explained that the initial monitoring was deliberately conducted over the weekend to assess motorists' behaviour when traffic was relatively light, and police presence was limited.

He said that straight, flat and open roads were among the factors that encouraged speeding, particularly when drivers assumed they could travel at high speeds without being detected.

“We leveraged that to observe and see whether it is the same, and there were many compliant drivers who were driving within the speed limits,” he said.

However, he expressed concern about the number of motorists who disregarded the speed restrictions.

“Some were doing above 130km/h on Mahama Road from Boundary Road,” he disclosed.

ACP Obeng said the police had gathered digital evidence against thousands of motorists during the first day of the exercise.

When asked how many traffic tickets had been issued so far, he declined to give an exact figure but indicated that the number of offences recorded was in the thousands.

“I would like that we allow those who have them to start posting them. But the law, the L.I., says that we should issue the ticket to the offender. The offender should be forthcoming,” he said.

“But yesterday [Sunday], we were worried because it was in the thousands.”

He urged motorists, particularly those driving in Accra over the weekends, to reduce their speed and comply with traffic regulations.

He specifically drew attention to Boteyman, where he said the Police had recorded several fatal crashes.

“Please, we are picking up a lot of fatal crashes there. So, when the road is straight and flat in the city, don't think it is a highway or motorway,” he cautioned.

ACP Obeng explained that motorists captured by the system would receive traffic tickets containing details of their speeding offences and the evidence gathered by the police.

He said the tickets are powered by GPS MTTD technology and contain the vehicle registration number, the name used in registering the vehicle or the relevant insurance details, as well as the date, time and location of the offence.

The tickets also contain a reference to Regulation 211 of the Road Traffic Regulations, the applicable penalty units, the total fine and a two-week deadline for payment.

“We have your vehicle numbers embedded. Your name you use in registering the car or the insurance. We have the date, time, and place,” ACP Obeng explained.

He said motorists would have two options when responding to the tickets: pay the fine or contest the alleged offence.

According to him, the payment link provided on the tickets directs vehicle owners to where they can follow the instructions to complete the process.

Motorists can also access the service through the USSD code *710*0#.

However, before making payment or contesting a ticket, vehicle owners will be shown a six-second video clip and photographs capturing the alleged speeding offence.

ACP Obeng said this would enable motorists to review the evidence gathered by the police before deciding how to respond.

He said that the system was designed to demonstrate the police's capacity to detect and document speeding offences through digital technology, even on roads where officers are not physically present.

He said that the issuance of digital tickets would encourage motorists to comply with speed limits beyond the first day of the system's operation.

Traffitech-GH is an automated system developed by the Ghana Police Service to enforce road traffic laws and regulations and improve road safety in the country.

The system uses cameras and sensors to automatically take a picture and/or video of vehicles that flout road traffic laws and regulations, such as speeding and running a red light.