The automated system, known as Traffitech-Gh, will also enforce the required road traffic regulations within Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.

It works through a network of cameras and sensors to capture images and videos of vehicles that flout road traffic regulations.

Through that drivers will no longer be stopped by the police on highways, as offenders will automatically be notified of their offences by short service messages (SMS) on their mobile phones.

Launching the system at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, last Tuesday, during which stakeholders and drivers were sensitised to the operations of the new system, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng, said the system was a collaborative effort of all, including drivers.

He said some of the stakeholders were the MTTD, the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the National Insurance Commission (NIC).

He explained that Traffitech-Gh would deploy fixed, mobile-in devices to capture, among others, speeding and jumping of red lights at the various traffic lights.

Some stakeholders in the sensitisation meeting on the new traffic system

Chief Superintendent Obeng said the devices would issue automatic fines with a view to increasing compliance and safety on the roads.

"I'm confident the system will automatically put motorists on the alert and compel them to adhere to road traffic regulations," he noted.

He said Traffictech-Gh was to maintain order on the roads within the communities with a view to ensuring a high sense of order and trust in the police, facilitate law-abiding behaviour, foster compliance and cooperation and at the same time increase the rate of detecting road traffic offences.

Penalty

He said road traffic regulation offenders would pay an additional one per cent penalty on the original Traffitech -Gh fine for each day of default after 14 days’ allowable payment period.

The Eastern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Emmanuel Twumasi Ankrah, indicated that the commencement of a nationwide comprehensive communication and sensitisation programme on the new system would be done in all regions and strategic locations.

He said the new traffic system would offer opportunities for the public to understand and appreciate the initiative and also to make inputs, taking into consideration stakeholders’ concerns.

The Coordinator of the NRSA, David Osafo Adonteng, commended the stakeholders who came out with the idea of the Traffitech-Gh initiative and advised the public, especially drivers, to abide by the road safety regulations.

The Chairman of the Koforidua Taxi Rank, George Boateng, popularly known as Coolie-Coolie, urged drivers to observe traffic regulations to ensure safety on the roads.

He said the new initiative would enhance drivers’ observation of traffic rules and road signs.