Mr Rudolph Beckley, Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) on Tuesday, said the Authority would not distort its programme, particularly that on the implement ion of the policy on seat belts.

According to him the implementation of the policy that seeks to ensure that all vehicles have seat belts in all sitting positions started in September 2014.

He therefore explained that the June first date set by the DVLA is for the start of the fitting of seat belts, which would run on until November before compliant enforcement.

He said the DVLA with the help of the National Association of Garages selected 77 garages and have trained a total of 184 artisans on the proper fitting of the seatbelts.

“However, in the course of the implementation of this policy, the transport unions raised issues specifically on the exemption of vehicles that provide intra transport services,” and this was resolved at a meeting held by the DVLA and transport unions as well as the Ministry of Transport, he said.

Mr Beckley was addressing a news conference organised by Ministry of Transport, in collaboration with National Road Safety Commission, Police Motor Transport, Traffic Division (MTTD) and the DVLA to respond to issues raised on Monday by a section of drivers claiming to be called the “Committed Drivers Association”, in Accra.

The section of angry drivers on Monday, June 1, blocked roads and refused to work, raising issues such as preventing illiterates from driving, introduction of a compulsory driver course for potential drivers, the newly introduced electronic roadworthy sticker, installation and use of seatbelt in all sitting positions in vehicles, as well as the introduction of the private vehicle test stations.

Mr Beckley explained that all the policies being implemented by the DVLA have their roots in the Road Traffic Regulations Legislative Instrument (L.I ) 2180, which became operational in 2012 and assigns great responsibilities to the Authority to ensure road safety.

The DVLA he said, in line with procedures for the enactment of law in the country, therefore worked with all major stakeholders in the road transport sector including the major transport unions, and was therefore surprised at the uprising by the section of drivers and the concerns they raised.

“After all those consultations the draft L.I. then went to Parliament before it was eventually passed,” he said.

Mr Beckley said the Authority however recognises the communication gap accessioned by the implementation of the policies and has embarked on nationwide public education in collaboration with the NRSC, the MTTD, and other recognised transport unions embarked on a nationwide public education to effectively address the issues.

He urged all transport unions that have grievances and issues pertaining to operations of the Authority to endeavour to use laid down procedures and channels to have them addressed rather than resorting to demonstrations.

Mr Cheyuo Wienaa Musah, Director in Charge of Driver Training at the DVLA said the introduction of the written test which started as far back as 2004, replaced the oral and in-traffic testing modes of assessment of drivers, until 2014 when the Computer-Based Theory was introduced to address allegations pertaining to distrust, corruption, favouritism among other things of the old system and to meet international standards.

He said as part of processes for future streamlining the examination process in line with concerns of transport unions, the DVLA would soon be introducing a touch screen facility that would also help translate the questions into languages like Ga, Ewe, Twi, Hausa and English to help applicants to answer the questions.

He said the 48-Hour compulsory driving school for beginner drivers was however catered for in L.I 2180 of 2012 and enjoins all potential drivers to first go through accredited institutions to be exposed to a structured theory and practical driver training as well as certain policies and skills that they would not normally be taught outside of a driving institute.

The electronic roadworthy sticker unlike the previous one is also machine readable and is to secure the authenticity of the inspection process because the special hand-held device of the MTTD could easily identify fake ones.