The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced new measures that could lead to the towing and eventual auction of vehicles abandoned on Ghana’s roads after breakdowns or road crashes.
Under the new road traffic regulations, vehicle owners will be required to subscribe to an approved towing service or obtain a motor insurance policy that includes towing cover. The measure is intended to ensure that broken-down and accident-damaged vehicles are removed from roads promptly.
The Director of Registration, Inspection and Compliance at the NRSA, Kwame Koduah Attuahene, said motorists who fail to comply with the new requirements could have their vehicles compulsorily towed, with the associated costs charged to the vehicle owner.
According to him, the new regulations require every vehicle owner to either have a towing service arrangement or an insurance policy that provides towing services.
New Rules Remove Grace Period for Broken-Down Vehicles
Mr Attuahene explained that the new regulations differ from previous road traffic rules, which gave motorists a grace period after their vehicles broke down.
Under the new system, motorists are expected to arrange for the immediate towing of a disabled vehicle to prevent it from obstructing traffic or creating a danger to other road users.
He made the comments during a national sensitisation programme on the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519).
Motorists whose vehicles become disabled are also required to place an advance warning triangle on the road and notify their towing service provider.
The towing company will then be expected to notify the Ghana Police Service or the NRSA and arrange for the vehicle to be transported to an approved storage facility.
Towed Vehicles Could Be Auctioned
The NRSA said vehicles taken to a storage facility will initially be kept for a maximum of seven days, during which the owner is expected to reclaim the vehicle.
If the owner fails to take action, further procedures could be initiated towards a judicial auction of the vehicle.
Mr Attuahene said vehicle owners would be given a seven-day notice before an auction, providing them with an opportunity to resolve the matter and reclaim their vehicles.
Where an auction fails to attract a successful buyer, the vehicle could eventually be confiscated by the state and possibly scrapped, in accordance with the applicable procedures.
NRSA Explains Reason for New Towing Regulations
The NRSA said the measures are designed to improve road safety in Ghana by preventing broken-down, abandoned and crashed vehicles from remaining on busy roads and creating additional hazards.
The Authority is therefore urging vehicle owners to comply with the new requirements by securing appropriate towing services or motor insurance with towing cover.
The implementation of the new regulations is expected to strengthen road safety enforcement and reduce the risks associated with disabled vehicles on Ghanaian roads.
Source: newsthemegh.com