It is an undeniable fact that the usage of mobile phones, whether hand-held or hands-free, whilst driving, is an unhealthy practice punishable by law.

Drivers caught sending text messages or using earpiece are liable to face the law, according to the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I 2180) passed by Parliament.

Unfortunately for the former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, found himself ‘breaking the law’ by speaking on phone whilst driving Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at Tesano.

Mr. Jacobs was arrested by police for violating a traffic rule.

Allotey Jacobs who commended the Commander of the station, DSP, Aboagye, for handling him with tolerance and respect said, “Last week after I left your studios, I had a call from one radio station and I was talking in an interview with them while driving, unluckily for me the police at Tesano arrested me to their station for jumping the red light”. …."I was very ashamed of myself as a politician, I apologized because it wasn’t a good example,” he said.

According to him, even though the police and the people around knew who he was, he was prepared and composed for whatever penalty the police required that he paid.

….”The commander at the station educated us on road offenses, he lamented on how badly our attitudes are as black towards the police. You know some of the “Trotro” drivers go to the level of insulting the police,” he told Kwame Sefa Kyei on Peace FM’s morning show Wednesday, September 19.

On July 6, 2012, a new law banning the use of mobile phones while driving was passed by Parliament.

The Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L. I. 2180) states that the use of hand-held communication devices such as mobile phones to make or receive calls, send or receive messages or access the internet while driving will be prohibited.

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