NRSA develops film app to check traffic offences
In a renewed effort to enforce traffic regulations, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA)has developed a mobile application to enable people film and forward road traffic violations to the authority for further action.
If the footage is reviewed and categorised as “infraction committed” and the lawbreaker is arraigned, the informant would receive a yet-to-be-determined percentage of the fine imposed by the court.
The Board Chairman of the NSRA, Jeremaine Nkrumah, who made these known in an interview with the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday said the application was called the Public Eye Enforcement Programme (PEEP).
The interview was on the sideline of a ceremony held to honour the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey.
Mr Nkrumah said the Authority was waiting for the passage of the Legislative Instrument for the NRSA Act 2019 (Act 993)to pilot the App in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti regions.
He explained that the system would be a fair one as accused would be given a chance to protest the decision in motor courts where the video would be played before a judge.
“We are working with the Chief Justice to set up motor courts. We have agreed to provide them space in our premises to set up the court so that people would not wait forever for their cases to be heard,” Mr Nkrumah said.
He hinted that the percentage of the fine to be given to those whose videos would secure conviction was likely to be between eight and 10 per cent of the motor traffic offences fine.
“The lowest fine I have seen is about GH₵ 400 and it can go as high as GH₵5,000. So can you imagine that by just taking a video and if (the reward) is 10 per cent, you could get about GH₵ 500 of a maximum fine? So in effect we are going to empower everyone to be an enforcer,” Mr Nkrumah said.
He said the Authority wanted to introduce a culture in traffic rules enforcement where people who did not obey traffic rules would be made to pay for their disobedience.
“We believe that it is going to change driving habits because 90 per cent of all road accidents and deaths are as a result of driver behaviour. So if you can control driver behaviour, we will bring down the numbers,” Mr Nkrumah said.
Asked when the LI would be ready, he said a final draft on the initiative has been submitted to the Ministry of Transport for onward submission to Parliament.
Aside from the App,Mr Nkrumah saidthe authority was considering the introduction of a fair towing system to reduce accidents while the authority was waiting for a report to determine the fate of motorcycles.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR
