Abstract
Traffic enforcement and associated penalties are essential in any successful road safety strategy. Available literature identifies both traditional and automated traffic enforcement. Ghana employs traditional traffic enforcement involving visible police officers enforcing traffic rules and regulations on the roadways. This phenomenological study explores the perceived effectiveness of police road presence as a road safety strategy in the Ghanaian context. Data for the analysis came from in-depth interviews of 42 people recruited as a convenience sample (comprising 25 commercial drivers, 12 private drivers, and five traffic police officers of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service). The study results suggest widespread driver road tactics to outwit the traffic police officers, police extortion and driver bribery (road traffic corruption), and punishment avoidance. These behaviours undermine deterrence and negate the seriousness and expected general deterrent effect of the police road presence and enforcement. This study provides an initial exploration of the effectiveness (or otherwise) of police road presence and enforcement in the context of a developing country. Additional studies are, however, needed to explore this phenomenon further.
Highlights
The recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Global status report on road safety 2018 reveals that global road traffic deaths have increased from 1.25 million deaths per year to 1.35 million deaths per year since the beginning of 2016, with an estimated 50-million-person injury
This study sought to provide an initial exploration of the perceived effectiveness of road policing and enforcement in the Ghanaian context
The study takes a dual perspective on the perceived effectiveness of police road presence from both motorists and traffic police officers
Summary
The recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Global status report on road safety 2018 reveals that global road traffic deaths have increased from 1.25 million deaths per year to 1.35 million deaths per year since the beginning of 2016, with an estimated 50-million-person injury. Road traffic crashes are currently the 8th leading cause of death for all ages and the 1st leading cause of death for persons in the 5–29 age group (World Health Organization (WHO), 2018). Target 3.6 (halve the global deaths from road traffic crashes) and target 11.2 (improving road safety in providing access to transport systems and expanding public transport). Ghana employs mainly the traditional traffic enforcement approach with police officers on major roadways designed to ensure road users ( motorists) adhere to traffic rules and regulations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
