Enforcement of the automated traffic system began yesterday, with the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) insisting that the introduction of the TraffiTech-GH system is expected to significantly reduce road crashes and fatalities.
The system, which is initially targeting speeding motorists, is expected to promote compliance with road traffic regulations through automated detection and evidence-based enforcement.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic last Saturday, the Director of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said the intensified public education campaign and the issuance of electronic caution notices had already contributed to a reduction in road crashes, injuries and deaths.
He said road crashes declined by 9.4 per cent in September 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while vehicles involved in crashes reduced by 12.19 per cent.
He said the number of persons injured also declined by 15.02 per cent, while road fatalities dropped by 7.82 per cent.
Motorcycle-related crashes equally recorded a 7.43 per cent reduction.
“What we have done, the evaluation has shown clearly that if you confront a person with the evidence, he or she tends to change. It has manifested itself in the data of September 2026 when we enhanced sensitisation and the issuance of caution notices,” he said.
ACP Obeng said the department had issued more than 200,000 electronic caution notices since the sensitisation campaign began, with over 50,000 issued since the latest phase of the exercise commenced in September.
He said the notices, sent through the sender identification GPS-MTTD system, contained details of the offending vehicle, its registration number, the owner’s name, the time, date and location of the violation, as well as photographic evidence and a six-second video of the offence.
The system
TraffiTech-GH is an automated system developed by the Ghana Police Service to enforce road traffic laws and regulations to improve road safety.
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.
Why speeding?
Mr Obeng said the initial focus on speeding was informed by road safety data indicating that excessive speed accounted for between 60 per cent and 62 per cent of serious injuries and fatalities resulting from road crashes.
“The data suggests that speeding is a major road safety challenge in Ghana. Speeds above the prescribed limits account for about 60 per cent to 62 per cent of all serious injuries and fatalities,” he said.
He said the police had, therefore, deployed mobile speed cameras in patrol vehicles and tripod-mounted cameras at selected locations across the country to detect speeding violations.
Fines
“The cameras are being deployed in Accra and other major urban centres, including Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale, Koforidua, Tema and Ho. Motorists who exceed the prescribed speed limits will receive electronic tickets, with fines determined by the extent of the violation in accordance with the relevant road traffic regulations,” he said.
ACP Obeng explained that the minimum fine was GH¢240 for motorists caught driving between five and 20 kilometres per hour above the prescribed speed limit, with higher penalties applying to greater violations.
The MTTD’s Director of Education, Research and Training said vehicle owners would have 14 days to pay the fines or contest the violations through the designated electronic platform.
“Motorists without internet access would also be able to access the service through the USSD code *7100# by following the prompts and entering their ticket numbers,” he added.
Robust system
ACP Obeng said the department had also incorporated a mechanism for motorists to challenge tickets, particularly in cases involving inaccurate vehicle ownership records or registration details.
He urged vehicle owners who had transferred their vehicles permanently to other persons to ensure that the change of ownership was duly registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
The MTTD’s Director of Education, Research and Training said failure to transfer ownership within the stipulated two-week period could leave the previous owner liable for traffic violations committed with the vehicle.
On attempts by individuals to develop applications to circumvent the enforcement system, he said the police had established a cyber team to identify and deal with persons who would attempt to defraud motorists or undermine the system.
He said the department would initially concentrate on speeding but would consider extending the technology to other traffic offences based on evidence and operational capacity.
ACP Obeng said the system was intended to complement conventional traffic enforcement and improve road safety by confronting motorists with evidence of their driving behaviour.
Appeal
He appealed to motorists to exercise restraint, particularly during the Christmas season, when increased travel and pressure to make more trips often contributed to dangerous driving.
ACP Obeng urged drivers to observe the prescribed speed limits of 50 kilometres per hour in built-up areas, 90 kilometres per hour on highways and 100 kilometres per hour on motorways.
He expressed optimism that the combined effect of public education, automated enforcement and compliance by motorists would translate into fewer crashes, injuries and deaths by the end of the year.
