By Stanley Senya
Accra, June 28, GNA – LADA Institute, a not-for-profit organization, has held a workshop to advocate key legislative changes on laws focused on child restraints and seatbelt usage for children.
The workshop, which was held in Accra, saw some selected Committee Members of Parliament (MPs) on Roads and Transport, Gender and Children and Subsidiary Legislation committees.
The MPs discussed and shared ideas on workable solutions to the gaps in the legislative framework bordering on the use of seatbelts for children and Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels.
The meeting addressed some inconsistencies in the use of child restrain usage protocols in the Road Traffic Regulations 2012, LI 2180, and the Road Traffic Act (2004) Act 683, as amended by Act 761 of 2008.
Dr Rowland Atta-Kesson, Team Lead, LADA, said the workshop was to also advocate for BAC reduction to WHO levels, an evidence-based recommendation that could save lives while highlighting the need for stronger road safety laws and enforcement for a safer environment.
He believed that road safety concerns were human rights issues, hence, there was a need to lead advocacy to strengthen seatbelt and child restraint laws to improve public attitudes and behaviours.
“Raising awareness about the importance of seatbelt and child restraint use is an important first step,” he said.
Engaging with MPs, he said, would help build support for legislative action, adding that the meeting would also foster collaboration among stakeholders, such as government, civil society, and the private sector, to help sustain advocacy efforts.
He said legislative frameworks and guidelines being considered must include the age limits for children permitted to sit in front of a vehicle, standard for safety equipment, and enforcement of the law without interference.
Mr Atta-Kesson said while section 15 of Act 683 prohibits a child less than five years from sitting in front, Regulation 119(5) the L.I, on the other hand, allowed it but provided an exception for children under five to sit in front.
He recommended a new Regulation 43 in the current Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulations, 2024.
Mr Martin Owusu Afram, Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation of the National Road Safety Authority, explained that the country had over the years received extremely high rates of road accidents and fatalities, with about eight people dying on the roads every day and over 2,000 annual road deaths.
He mentioned reckless driving, inadequate road infrastructure, and non-compliance with traffic rules as some factors contributing to the accidents and fatalities.
He said addressing road safety required collaboration from all stakeholders, and not just the government.
“Let us collectively acknowledge that road safety is not the sole responsibility of one entity or government because you may be doing the right thing, and someone may be doing it the wrong way,” he added.
He emphasised the need to promote and invest in better roads, signs and lighting while educating and creating awareness on safe driving, pedestrian safety, and obeying traffic rules.
He urged MPs to endeavour to continue advocacy for road safety legislation and policies, saying “When we are able to find road safety in your manifestoes, it can help drive change and ensure good mobility on our roads.”
“As you engage the constituents, after preaching your political messages, teach them to walk safely, ride and drive safely so that they can live to vote for us. Let us all commit to making our roads safer,” he said.
Representatives from the Ghana Police Service, Authorities, and clerks were also present at the workshop.
GNA