Respect police stops; they can save your life – drivers urged

Drivers have been urged to cooperate with police during routine road checks, as such interventions could help prevent accidents, detect vehicle faults and save lives. 

Mr Desmond Tublu, Assistant Manager of Hovis Driving School, Volta Regional Branch, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said motorists should not resist police officers simply because their vehicle had defects, required documents were not in order, or mandatory safety items were missing. 

“Whether your papers are wrong, something is lacking, or your car has a problem, please stop. These checks can be for your safety, not harassment.” 

Mr Tublu recounted an incident at Sogakope in the South Tongu District, where a woman driving an unregistered vehicle ignored police instructions to stop. 

According to him, the driver was unaware that thick smoke was billowing from the bonnet of her vehicle. A police officer had to pursue her on a motorbike before she eventually pulled over. 

By the time she stopped, the vehicle had caught fire. The officer attempted to use the driver’s fire extinguisher to put out the flames, but it malfunctioned. The vehicle was completely destroyed, with only the woman’s handbag salvaged from the wreckage. 

“That stop could have saved her car if she had obeyed earlier,” Mr Tublu noted. 

He urged motorists to regard police checks as an important road safety measure rather than an inconvenience and encouraged them to ensure that their vehicles were equipped with functional fire extinguishers and other mandatory safety items. 

Mr Tublu further advised drivers to prioritise regular vehicle maintenance and comply with road safety regulations to help reduce preventable road incidents. 

Source: GNA