Bank Drivers Using Sirens To Be Arrested

The Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), ACP Angwubutoge Awuni, has warned banking institutions and private security operators against the misuse of sirens by their vehicles. He said, henceforth, any bank or private security vehicle found flouting the law would be arrested and prosecuted according to the road traffic regulation. Speaking at a meeting with transport managers of financial institutions and personnel of MTTU in Accra yesterday, ACP Awuni said that he had directed personnel of the unit to arrest recalcitrant drivers of such institutions. The warning was against the backdrop of rampant misuse of sirens by unauthorized institutions, as well as some unauthorized security personnel. The meeting discussed concerns raised by the Police Administration regarding the misuse of sirens by some police officers and other security agencies and the careless and inconsiderate driving by drivers of financial institutions. He said the road traffic regulation, LI. 953 of 1974 section 38 (1) permits every motor vehicle to be fitted with an efficient electric horn, or a bulb horn which gives out a single note when it is pressed. �No person shall fit on a motor vehicle or any form of warning appliances other than of a type approved by the Commissioner of which the bullion vans or cash vans and vehicles used by private security are not included,� he said. He said the move was not intended to frustrate the financial institutions in the discharge of their duties but to bring sanity on the roads, explaining that the use of sirens distracted the attention of other road users which was not helpful in security matters.