The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has indicated that it will begin enforcing its policy on seat belts in 2016 .
[contextly_sidebar id=”TlQdbW1Vp9HBYdrHPiQd3pd3bIzPMIjd”]The DVLA’s new directive, which states that all commercial vehicles must have seat belts before the licences of the drivers are renewed has been rejected by drivers.
Some commercial drivers across the country, including in the capital Accra and Ashaiman who are angry over the DVLA’s new policies embarked on a strike earlier this week in protest.
However, the DVLA insists it will go ahead with the enforcement of the policy, once all the vehicles have been fitted with seat bealts by the end of the year.
Addressing the media at a press conference on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the DVLA, Rudolph Beckley explained that though the Authority will ensure the policy is enforced, it will only begin to do so after all commercial vehicles have seat belts in them.
“As part of the timeline that we have put together for this particular seat-belt implementation project, we have the first week of June for the fitting of seat-belts and not for the enforcement on the use of seat-belts. These are two clearly distinct interventions of measures,” Mr. Berkley said.
“We are talking about first and foremost fitting the belts before enforcement comes on. We are not talking about enforcement now, we are first and foremost fitting the belts before enforcement comes on. We are making sure that from now until the end of November to December, all motor vehicles would have seat belts fitted and then at the end of that, we will proceed with the enforcement. You can’t not have seat belts in vehicles and force people to wear people to wear seat belts, How is that going to be done?,” he added
DVLA introduces new policies
The DVLA has introduced several policies which have not been well-received by the commercial drivers. These include a compulsory driving course for prospective drivers, the introduction of a newly-introduced electronic roadworthy sticker and the introduction of the private vehicle test stations.
But perhaps the most contentious of the DVLA’s new policies for the drivers is the compulsory installation and use of seat-belts for passengers in all public transport vehicles.
After some public pressure the DVLA amended its directive for all prospective drivers to write the examination in English, announcing that the drivers will be able to take their driving tests in five different local languages; English, Ga, Ewe, Twi and Hausa.
The drivers ‘strike back’
Angered by the directives, the drivers took to the streets on Monday to vent their spleen.
The strike action by the agitated ‘trotro’ drivers left several passengers stranded and prompted the police to be dispatched to several major routes to ensure calm.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana