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26th March, 2011
Seat Belt Offenders Nabbed
Fifteen private and commercial drivers have been arrested by the police for refusing to wear their seat belts.
The Tema community two police motor Traffic and Transport unit (MTTU) mounted the two hour exercise on Thursday to enforce the road traffic regulation to ensure safety on the roads.
Briefing the Times about the exercise District MTTU commander Obrako Bempah said the police in collaboration with the National Road Safety Commission, had created awareness about the importance of seat belts in saving lives during accidents, but many drivers in the district still drove vehicles without wearing them.
He said the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2008, Act 761, section 13 states that “A person who does not wear seat belt either at the front or rear seat of a motor vehicle being driven on a road commits an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding 10 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding four months or both.”
Mr Bempah said records at the unit showed that 23 accidents had been recorded since January, resulting in the death of one person and injury to eight others.
He said seatbelts were meant to prevent or minimize injuries in the event of accidents and therefore advised drivers and passengers to wear them.
He also advised bus drivers especially those plying long distances to ensure that their vehicles had seat belts and their passengers use them.
Some of those arrested told the Times that they did not wear the seat belts because they did not feel comfortable doing so while others said their seat belts were faulty.
The Tema community two police motor Traffic and Transport unit (MTTU) mounted the two hour exercise on Thursday to enforce the road traffic regulation to ensure safety on the roads.
Briefing the Times about the exercise District MTTU commander Obrako Bempah said the police in collaboration with the National Road Safety Commission, had created awareness about the importance of seat belts in saving lives during accidents, but many drivers in the district still drove vehicles without wearing them.
He said the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2008, Act 761, section 13 states that “A person who does not wear seat belt either at the front or rear seat of a motor vehicle being driven on a road commits an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding 10 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding four months or both.”
Mr Bempah said records at the unit showed that 23 accidents had been recorded since January, resulting in the death of one person and injury to eight others.
He said seatbelts were meant to prevent or minimize injuries in the event of accidents and therefore advised drivers and passengers to wear them.
He also advised bus drivers especially those plying long distances to ensure that their vehicles had seat belts and their passengers use them.
Some of those arrested told the Times that they did not wear the seat belts because they did not feel comfortable doing so while others said their seat belts were faulty.
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