Our drivers must use dialogue

Moves by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to implement new traffic regulations are being met with fierce resistance from drivers.

Yesterday, the transport sector in parts of the country, particularly Accra and Tema, was virtually crippled when commercial drivers embarked on a strike to indicate their disapproval of the new traffic regulations.

Road safety measures in the country have mostly targeted commercial drivers whose vehicles, research has shown, account for the largest number of road accidents.

Although it will be preposterous for anyone to conclude, in the generic sense, that commercial drivers are not safe drivers, it is also a fact that there are many out there who continue to show a lack of respect for road safety regulations and procedures.

Against the background of the critical role commercial drivers play in the socio-economic development of the country, initiatives that will put them in a better position to ensure sanity on the roads cannot be underestimated.

The DVLA may have taken all the above into consideration before moving to implement the new regulations, which were passed by Parliament.

No one can downplay the importance of seatbelts, and that is why the Daily Graphic finds it surprising that the drivers are kicking against the implementation of the regulation on seatbelts.

To make sure that the directive is carried out effectively, the DVLA, last year, launched a training programme for garage owners to train people on the installation of seatbelts.

Clearly, while the DVLA may have a just cause to protect lives and property on the roads, arguments by the drivers that some of the new regulations will negatively affect their business cannot be dismissed outright. 

A case in point is the educational requirement for the issuance of driving licences.

Without doubt, the strict implementation of that regulation will put many applicants off and even threaten the renewal of licences by many others.

The Daily Graphic believes a middle line can be found. It will not be out of place for the DVLA to take new applicants who do not have the required educational background through some training to enable them to learn some of the basics.

Besides, the authority, in conjunction with drivers’ unions, can organise in-service training for the drivers to sharpen their skills on road safety.

Obtaining a driving licence is an essential part of driving because it is proof that the person in possession of the licence has fully mastered the necessary skills and information to safely and efficiently operate a vehicle.  

We believe that much as the drivers may have some reasonable points, the way to go is not demonstrations but dialogue in order to iron out the disagreements.

In this case, stakeholder engagement is essential in order to reach consensus on the implementation of the legislation passed by Parliament.

We are worried because there are many pieces of legislation that are not enforced because those the laws intend to compel to mend their ways shout ‘wolf’ just to kill the actions for the general good.