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As part of the Police Action Against Rider Indiscipline (PAARI) programme, the police have arrested over 250 motorbike riders for jumping the red light in Accra.
Operation PAARI, a road safety intervention to check indiscipline among motorcycle users on Ghana’s roads was launched in April last year as a result of road traffic accidents in the country.
As part of the strategy, according to the police, motorcycle users who were arrested in violation of road traffic regulations and other traffic offences within the period were sensitised and taken through some road traffic education and subsequently cautioned to be law-abiding.
“Following the introduction of the initiative, it has been observed that a good number of riders are now obeying traffic regulations, especially in the areas of not jumping the red light, avoiding riding on pedestrian walkways and facing oncoming traffic,” the police said in a statement on Friday, March 3.
“The benefit of Operation PAARI is reflected in available data on road traffic accidents in the country which indicates that for the first time in a long while, road traffic crashes involving motorbikes have reduced significantly.”
In order to sustain the gains made in this regard, the police have intensified the operation and have deployed special teams at traffic intersections starting in Accra.
The Ghana Police Service explained that the officers who will also be on motorbikes will patiently follow any rider who jumps the red light to their destination, confront them with the offence and arrest them.
“This is to create a sense of certainty of arrest and thereby encourage some level of self-discipline among the riding public.”
In the past three days, over 250 motorbike riders have been arrested for jumping the red light at various traffic intersections in Accra.
All the arrested riders will be taken through road safety education and the dangers their conduct pose to themselves and other road users; after which they will be taken through the due process of the law.
“While we commend all law-abiding riders for adhering to road traffic regulations, we would like to caution recalcitrant riders against the blatant disregard for traffic regulations since the law will definitely catch up with them.
“We will continue to count on the support of the public to make this programme a success to ensure sanity and safety prevail on our roads.”
