No Camera Warning Sign Does Not Cancel Traffitech-GH Fine – Police

Motorists who assume that a traffic enforcement camera must be preceded by a warning sign before a violation can be enforced have been given a clear answer under the Traffitech-GH guidelines: the absence of a warning sign does not invalidate a traffic offence.

The Ghana Police Service’s Traffitech-GH brochure states that some road stretches and intersections have warning signs announcing enforcement activities or equipment, while others do not.

More significantly, the guidance says there is no legal obligation to announce MTTD-related traffic enforcement operations or equipment intended to improve road safety in Ghana.

This means motorists could encounter automated enforcement equipment without necessarily seeing a prior warning sign and still receive an Electronic Notice of Violation if they breach traffic regulations.

Traffitech-GH uses fixed, mobile or in-vehicle devices and laser speed-measurement equipment to detect offences. The system can capture speeding and red-light violations, with images and/or videos transmitted for validation before an ENV is issued.

The system also covers a wider range of offences, including expired roadworthiness certificates, wrongful overtaking, non-use of seatbelts, expired driving licences, driving uninsured vehicles and misuse of sirens.

Speed limits are also clearly outlined in the guidance.

The brochure states that, generally, highways have a speed limit of 90 km/h, motorways 100 km/h, urban or built-up areas 50 km/h, while a 30 km/h limit applies within areas such as schools, playgrounds, health facilities, churches, mosques, markets, shopping centres, processions and locations where human activity is predominant.

The Police guidance says licensed drivers are expected to know these limits whether or not a speed-limit sign is posted.

The red-light enforcement rule is equally strict.

According to the brochure, if the tyres of a vehicle cross the stop line after the traffic signal has turned red, the driver has committed a red-light offence.

A driver who believes the signal was still yellow at the precise moment the tyres crossed the stop line can review the video evidence and contest the violation within 14 days.

The controversial aspect is that motorists cannot rely simply on the absence of a camera-warning sign as a defence.

Instead, the Police direct drivers to use the evidence attached to their ticket. Motorists can enter their ticket number on Ghana.gov.gh and access the photo or video evidence and other violation data.

Access to the evidence is restricted to the vehicle owner or driver, authorised MTTD officers, back-office validation staff and the courts.

The enforcement system therefore places greater responsibility on drivers to know the applicable traffic rules rather than relying on warnings about enforcement equipment.