By Benjamin Adamafio Commey
Accra, Sept 29, GNA – The Ghana National Association of Driving Schools (GHANADRIVE) has urged the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) and other relevant agencies to fully operationalize mandatory driver training under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2519.
It also called for improvements in road infrastructure, including the repair of deteriorated roads, restoration of road markings and signs, fixing of malfunctioning traffic lights and provision of functional street lighting to enhance visibility.
The Association said enforcing the provisions of the LI, together with improving road infrastructure, would strengthen driver competence, improve road safety and help reduce road crashes.
Alhaji Ali Wahab, General Secretary of GHANADRIVE, made the call at a news conference in Accra on Monday, saying the country continues to lose lives to road crashes due to gaps in driver training and poor road infrastructure.
More than 9,000 road crashes were recorded between January and August 2026, with more than 1,900 deaths, according to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD).
Alhaji Wahab identified three provisions of L.I. 2519 that he said required immediate and full implementation to improve driver competence and enhance road safety.
The first, he said, was Regulation 39(1), which required an applicant for a learner’s licence to demonstrate to the examiner that they had undergone at least 48 hours of basic driver training certified by a recognised driver training institution.
Secondly, Regulation 44(3e), required drivers seeking to upgrade to a higher licence class to provide proof of attendance at an upgrading programme organised by a certified driver training institution.
Alhaji Wahab said the requirement was particularly important for drivers moving from light vehicles to heavy commercial vehicles because of the specialised skills required to operate such vehicles safely.
Thirdly, Regulation 46(7B), which required a driver seeking renewal of a licence to provide evidence of attending a refresher training programme organised by a registered and certified driver training institution.
Alhaji Wahab said the refresher requirement would help address gaps among drivers who obtained their licences before the introduction of mandatory formal driver training.
“This law states that now, even though we have the licence, before we renew the licence, we have to go back to the classroom to learn something before the licence would be renewed,” he said.
The implementation of the provision, he said, would ensure that existing drivers were also brought into continuous driver education, adding that road safety was a shared responsibility.
Alhaji Wahab also stressed the need for improved road infrastructure across the country, warning that poor visibility at night, particularly on roads without functioning street lights or clear markings, could make it difficult for motorists to identify parked vehicles and other hazards in time.
Additionally, he urged the public to become familiar with road traffic laws, including the penalty-point system and offences applicable to other road users.
He lauded the incorporation of mandatory driver education into the statutory framework, describing improved driver training as an important measure for reducing road traffic fatalities.
“Road safety is not a one-time event; it is a continuous lifestyle,” he said, stressing that a driver’s learning journey should not end with obtaining a basic licence.
The General Secretary called for collaboration among the DVLA, the police, the National Road Safety Authority, transport unions, driving schools and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the new requirements.
Mr Emmanuel Danso, the Greater Regional Chairman of GHANADRIVE, said the implementation of L.I. 2519 would also bring commercial motorcycle riders, commonly known as Okada riders, into the formal training system.
He said education and enforcement would be important to reducing road crashes, adding that the new framework provided a legal basis for requiring riders to undergo training.
He bemoaned the continuous disregard for unsafe practices among some motorcycle riders, including riding without helmets and removing motorcycle mirrors.
Mr Danso expressed the Association’s readiness to provide training for Okada riders, adding that it was awaiting certification from the DVLA to begin the exercise.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Benjamin Adamafio Commey
Email: [email protected]