The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced plans for a compulsory towing regime under which vehicle owners will be required to have arrangements in place for the removal of broken-down vehicles from the road.
Director-General of the Authority, Abraham Amaliba, said the intervention is expected to begin next year as part of efforts to prevent disabled vehicles from remaining on roads and creating additional safety risks.
“There’s going to be compulsory towing of vehicles,” he disclosed during an engagement with commercial transport operators in Accra.
“So next year, every car owner is required to subscribe to a towing company or an insurance company, so that when your car breaks down, the towing company will come and remove it,” he added.
The Authority noted that public education is currently being undertaken ahead of implementation.
Under the proposed system, motorists will be able to access towing services when their vehicles break down instead of leaving disabled vehicles on the road for extended periods.
Amaliba said the NRSA is also working on a digital platform that will bring towing operators together and help motorists locate available towing services.
The broader objective, according to the Authority, is to ensure broken-down vehicles are removed quickly, particularly from busy roads where they can obstruct traffic or create crash risks.
The announcement comes as the NRSA intensifies road-safety engagements ahead of the Christmas season.
The Authority has been meeting drivers and transport union leaders at major commercial terminals to discuss speeding, discipline, road markings, vehicle breakdowns and other road-safety concerns.
By Noble Crosby-Annan
