Ghana: What Road Traffic Regulation LI 2519 Provides for Drivers and Pedestrians

Ghana’s LI 2519 road traffic regulation introduces a stricter framework for several common practices on the roads: running a red light when the road appears empty, checking a phone while driving, driving after consuming alcohol or crossing outside designated areas. The text provides for fines, and sometimes prison sentences, for drivers and pedestrians alike.

One of the most significant elements announced with this regulation is the use of a digital enforcement platform called Traffic Tech. It operates through cameras, sensors and automated detection of offences. The stated aim is to make enforcement of the rules more systematic.

Escalating penalties for repeated offences

The automated fine system presented provides for increasing amounts depending on repeat offences: 120 Ghanaian cedis for a first offence, 180 cedis for a second, and then 240 cedis for a third.

From the sixth offence recorded over a 24-month period, the driver may be referred to a court. Their licence could then be revoked or suspended for at least twelve months, with refresher training and a new test required.

The text also uses the concept of a “penalty unit” to set certain sanctions. Based on the amounts cited, one unit is equivalent to 12 Ghanaian cedis. Thus, a penalty of 50 units amounts to 600 Ghanaian cedis. This method of calculation makes it easier to understand the financial scale of each offence.

Red lights, phones and alcohol: the most heavily targeted behaviours

Running a red light

Running a red light is punishable by a penalty of between 10 and 30 penalty units, a prison sentence of up to 30 days, or both. This provision particularly targets drivers who believe they can continue on their way when traffic is light, especially at night.

The principle remains simple: a red light does not become optional because no other vehicle is visible. The announced automated detection specifically targets breaches that may previously have escaped direct enforcement.

Using a phone while driving

Reading a message, responding to a notification or handling a phone while driving also constitutes an offence. The penalty can reach 50 penalty units and three months in prison, or combine a fine and imprisonment.

This rule also applies to actions often considered harmless, such as checking messages at a traffic light. Yet a driver’s attention remains essential, including during a temporary stop.

Driving under the influence of alcohol

Driving while intoxicated is among the offences subject to the most severe penalties. LI 2519 provides for a fine of 50 to 200 penalty units, a prison sentence of up to 40 months, or both.

This provision is particularly important during busy periods and celebrations, when roads become more congested and journeys home by car after evenings out increase. Drinking and driving exposes people not only to a penalty but also to a major risk for all road users.

Street vending and preaching in moving vehicles

The regulation also concerns certain activities carried out on or near roads. Hawking goods in a moving vehicle can result in a fine of between 10 and 50 penalty units, a prison sentence of up to eight months, or both.

Selling goods on or alongside a road, on a pedestrian crossing or near a railway level crossing is also covered. The penalty can reach 50 penalty units or three months in prison. These measures affect practices associated with the everyday life of many bus stations and high-traffic areas.

Preaching in a moving public or commercial vehicle is also made an offence. The announced penalties range from 10 to 50 penalty units and can include up to eight months in prison. The rule does not concern religious belief itself, but this practice in moving transport.

Parking, motorcycle taxis and pedestrian crossings

Parking in a space reserved for people with disabilities or people with special needs can be punished by up to 25 penalty units and eight months in prison, or both. Parking there only briefly does not remove the reserved nature of the space.

Motorcycle riders and motorcycle taxi activities are also affected. Riding without a helmet exposes a person to a fine of 25 to 50 penalty units, a prison sentence of one to three months, or both penalties. Operating motorcycle taxis or tricycles without authorisation can, meanwhile, lead to eight to 24 months in prison for operators and up to eight months for drivers.

Pedestrians are not excluded from the system. Crossing carelessly or failing to use a footbridge or a designated crossing can cost up to five penalty units, with a possible prison sentence of up to seven days. This is one of the lowest fines mentioned, but the offence is explicitly provided for.

Accident prevention depends as much on motorists as on people travelling on foot. On this subject, equipment and rules of use also raise broader questions of safety and approval, as illustrated by this article on the Tesla Roadster and the issues surrounding its use.

Required equipment and vehicle condition

LI 2519 also places emphasis on vehicle condition and the safety equipment to be carried. Driving with a tinted front windscreen constitutes an offence punishable by 25 to 50 penalty units and a prison sentence of up to three months.

Not having warning triangles in the vehicle is penalised in the same way: 25 to 50 penalty units and up to three months in prison. These triangles are intended to warn other road users of a breakdown or immobilised vehicle.

Not having a fire extinguisher or first-aid kit exposes a person to a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units, or a prison sentence of up to 30 days. Dangerous or worn tyres can also result in a penalty of 25 to 50 penalty units and up to three months in prison.

Lastly, the regulation also mentions washing and repairing vehicles on the road among the behaviours that are now prohibited. No specific penalty amount is detailed here for these two situations.

Towards more automated road enforcement

The announced deployment of Traffic Tech is the central change associated with LI 2519. With offences detected by cameras and sensors, enforcement no longer relies solely on an officer directly stopping a driver.

The system is presented as a way to promote more consistent enforcement of the rules, without different treatment depending on the people checked. Its effectiveness will nevertheless depend on its practical implementation, the reliability of detections and the authorities’ ability to process penalties consistently.

On Ghanaian roads, the message is therefore clear: obeying traffic lights, putting phones aside, not driving after drinking, checking equipment and using safe crossings are no longer simply matters of caution. These behaviours can now have specific criminal and financial consequences.

FAQ on Ghana’s LI 2519 road traffic regulation

How much is one penalty unit worth in Ghana?

According to the amounts stated, one penalty unit is worth 12 Ghanaian cedis. A fine of 50 units therefore amounts to 600 Ghanaian cedis.

Can a person be penalised for crossing outside a pedestrian crossing in Ghana?

Yes. Careless crossing or failure to use a footbridge or designated crossing can be punished by a fine of up to five penalty units or a prison sentence of up to seven days.

What equipment must be present in a vehicle?

The regulation notably covers warning triangles, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit. The absence of this equipment can result in fines and, depending on the case, a prison sentence.

Can using a phone while driving lead to a prison sentence?

Yes. Using a phone while driving can be punished by up to 50 penalty units and three months in prison, or by the combination of both penalties.