Trotro drivers protest DVLA’s seatbelt directive

Drivers of intracity commercial vehicles widely known as trotros have demonstrated against the Driver and Vehicles Licensing Authority’s new regulation of fixing seatbelts in all vehicles to protect passengers from fatal injuries in the event of accidents.

According to the drivers, the regulation is best-suited for intercity commercial vehicles.

The DVLA at the beginning of this month enforced Section 119 of the Road Traffic Regulation Legislative Instrument 2180 passed by Parliament in 2012.

The Regulation demands seatbelts for each and every occupant of vehicles plying the country.

DVLA, however, said full implementation of the regulation will begin in March 2015.

But from now till then new vehicles are only registered at the Authority after seatbelts for each passenger are certified.

On Tuesday, September 17, the drivers mostly of the Greater Accra branch of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) accused government of using the regulation to extort monies from them.

“We are not, in totality, against the fitting of the seatbelts,” remarked Robert Sabah, the branch’s Chairman.

“We are of the opinion that these regulations must be transferred on intercity because in the case of the intracity because of the intermittent stops and also traffic jam and other speed limitations that have been put in place.”

Last month, the DVLA noted that it is reconsidering the regulation for the trotros.