The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, DVLA, has warned the public to comply with traffic regulations on the design and positioning of number plate on vehicles.

The Authority in collaboration with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police in a yet-to-be launched campaign, has vowed to prosecute persons commiting this illegality.

The DVLA in a statement said the right procedures have been listed in Regulation 12 of the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012, L.I. 2180, and Regulation 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012, L.I. 2180 for compliance.

It said therefore that, “it is unlawful that these plates should be tampered with”, the statement added.

DVLA in the statement listed five illegalities which contradicts the traffic regulations.

This includes the “embossment of wrong insignia, use of other nations’ flags in place of the Ghana Flag, italicized lettering on the number plate, use of colors that are different from what is prescribed by Law; and the embellishment of number plates with different colors”.

Also, “not having fixed number plates on the front and rear of vehicles” falls within the category.

The Authority explained that the regulations aside “providing a critical unique feature on the vehicle to establish ownership and a special identification for compliance with statutory provisions, the material characteristics of the license plate also include retro-reflectivity and enhances plate visibility thereby providing easy means of distinguishing the registration information of the vehicle.”
Below is the full press release

The Management of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). has noted with grave concern the manner in which vehicle owners and drivers embellish their vehicle number plate in fragrant disregard to provisions in the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012 (LI 2180).

The illegal activities include the following:

1. Embossment of wrong insignia

2. The use of other nations’ flags in place of the Ghana Flag

3. Italicised lettering on the number plate

4. The use of colours that are different frorn what is prescribed by Law; and the embellishment of number plates with different colours

5. Not having fixed number plates on the front a. rear of vehicles.

The Authority wishes to remind the motoring public that while Regulation 12 of the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012, L.I. 2180 makes it clear that the number plate of a motor vehicle or motor cycle shall be embossed with (a) a Ghana flag (b) the country identification mark ‘GH., Regulation 7 states explicitly that a person in charge of a rnotor vehicle shall fix a number plate (a) in a manner that makes the number plate not to be easily detachable, (b) in an upright position or within fifteen degrees of that position (c) in a manner that makes each letter and figure legible. Besides, Regulation 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation, 2012, L.I. 2180 also stipulates that a person in charge of a motor vehicle number shall fix the two number plates (a) on the front and rear sides of the motor vehicle, and (b) on the front and rear sides of a trailer.

The Authority stresses that, in addition to providing a critical unique feature on the vehicle to establish ownership and a special identification for compliance with statutory provisions, the material characteristics of the License plate also include retro-reflectivity and enhances plate visibility thereby providing easy means of distinguishing the registration information of the vehicle. It is, therefore, unlawful that these plates should be tampered with.

Personnel of the DVLA and the MTTD will, in the next few weeks, embark upon enforcement exercises to clamp down on these illegalities. Any driver found culpable, will face the full rigors of the Law.
DVLA: YOUR SAFETY, OUR CONCERN.
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