Urgent call for enhanced enforcement of driver compliance at pedestrian zebra crossing

The Director-General, Ghana National Road Safety Authority, Accra, Ghana. Your Authority,

I write to you as a concerned citizen and road user to draw urgent attention to a systemic failure in road safety that continues to put the lives of vulnerable pedestrians at unacceptable risk: the widespread disregard and inadequate enforcement of the rules governing zebra crossings.

The provision of zebra crossings across our cities and towns—particularly near schools, hospitals, and busy markets—is a vital recognition of the pedestrian's fundamental right to safe passage.

They are, by design, points of refuge. However, this safety feature has been rendered largely ineffective due to a prevailing culture of driver impunity and the visible absence of consistent enforcement.

The critical problem

The following behaviours, frequently observed across major urban and even feeder roads, demonstrate the severity of the enforcement gap.

1. Failure to Yield: Drivers routinely fail to stop or even slow down when pedestrians are waiting or are already on the crossing. This turns the act of crossing into a risky negotiation, undermining the very purpose of the markings.

2. Obstruction: Vehicles, particularly commercial transport and motorcycles, often stop directly on the zebra crossing during traffic congestion, blocking the path and forcing pedestrians, especially those with mobility challenges, to navigate through vehicular traffic.

3. Speed and Intimidation: In school zones, where vigilance should be highest, speeding drivers often use intimidation to rush children and the elderly off the crossing. The National Road Safety Authority's mandate is to ensure safety on our roads.

The failure to rigorously enforce respect for the zebra crossing is not merely a traffic offence; it is a profound failure to protect the most vulnerable in our traffic ecosystem.

The symbolic significance of the zebra crossing—the legal expectation that a vehicle must stop—is eroding rapidly, replaced by confusion and fear.

A call for immediate and sustained enforcement

To restore the sanctity and effectiveness of zebra crossings, I urge the NRSA, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service’s Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), to implement a targeted and sustained enforcement strategy:

1. High-Visibility Campaigns: Institute a non-negotiable, zero-tolerance campaign specifically targeting zebra crossing violations. Increase the presence of MTTD personnel at known trouble spots, particularly during peak hours and school opening/closing times.

2. Standardised Fines: Ensure that the immediate penalty for failing to stop for a pedestrian or obstructing a crossing is substantial and consistently applied across the country, serving as a genuine deterrent.

3. Utilise Technology: Advocate for the installation of traffic cameras or specialised surveillance technology at high-risk crossings to capture and process infractions automatically, ensuring enforcement continuity even without a physical officer present.

4. Public Awareness: Launch a concise, hard-hitting public education drive focusing not just on the pedestrian’s right, but on the severe legal consequences a driver faces for causing injury or fatality at a designated crossing.

Your Excellency, the safety of pedestrians is not an abstract concept; it is a direct measure of our national commitment to law, order, and human dignity. By prioritising the enforcement of driver respect for the zebra crossing, the NRSA can immediately and profoundly reduce road traffic accidents and fatalities involving pedestrians.

We look forward to the Authority's prompt action in addressing this critical matter and reaffirming the pedestrian's safety on Ghana's roads.
Respectfully,

A concerned stakeholder in road safety.

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