The Ghana Police Service has warned motorists and vehicle owners against the unauthorised use of sirens, horns, strobe lights and other emergency warning devices, saying the practice undermined road safety and traffic discipline.
It said the misuse of such devices created unnecessary panic among road users, disrupted the orderly flow of traffic and posed a serious threat to public safety, warning that offenders would be arrested and prosecuted.
A statement issued by the Police and signed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police and Staff Officer, Public Affairs, Richmond Mensah, reminded the public that the unauthorised use of sirens, horns, strobe lights and other emergency warning devices was prohibited under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180).
The statement said only persons authorised under Regulation 74 of L.I. 2180 were permitted to install and use such devices on their vehicles.
It therefore urged all individuals who had unlawfully fitted their vehicles with the devices to remove them immediately to avoid sanctions.
According to the Police, the indiscriminate use of emergency warning devices had become a growing concern because it contributed to traffic indiscipline and endangered other road users.
It noted that motorists often gave way to vehicles using sirens or flashing lights under the assumption that they were responding to emergencies, only for some of those vehicles to be privately owned and operating without legal authority.
The statement disclosed that ongoing nationwide enforcement operations had already led to the arrest of several offenders found using the prohibited devices without authorisation.
It said the exercise formed part of broader efforts by the Police to restore discipline on the country’s roads and ensure compliance with traffic laws.
The statement stressed that the enforcement exercise would be intensified across the country, with officers directed to identify and apprehend violators.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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