Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), introduce stricter sanctions for a wide range of traffic offences, including illegal racing, running red lights, improper parking, disobeying traffic officers, and operating television monitors while driving. The regulations provide for fines and, in certain cases, imprisonment for offenders. The new framework also incorporates automated traffic enforcement, enabling violations captured by approved enforcement devices to attract graduated fines.
Persistent offenders may face the suspension or revocation of their driver’s licences. Details of the offences and corresponding penalties are outlined in a 14-page offences schedule compiled by D/Sgt. Nana Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan of the Legal and Prosecution Unit at the Regional Headquarters in Ho.
Below are some of the key provisions.
Stop signs, red lights and racing
1. Street racing, drag racing and speed competitions – Section 221
- Driving, or permitting another person to drive, in a race, speed competition, or endurance test on a road attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
- Participating in an unauthorised race under Section 221(2) attracts the same penalty.
2. Failure to stop at STOP or YIELD signs – Section 222
- Under Sections 222(1) to 222(6), failing to stop or yield the right of way at an intersection marked by a STOP or YIELD sign, or failing to stop before a pedestrian crossing, attracts a fine of 10 to 30 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
- Approaching a YIELD sign without slowing down under Section 222(2) attracts the same penalty.
3. Jumping a red light – Section 222(7)–(8)
- Jumping a red light at a signalised intersection attracts a fine of 10 to 30 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
4. Railway crossings – Section 223
- Failing to stop within the prescribed distance of a railway line at a level crossing, or proceeding before it is safe to do so, attracts a fine of 5 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Walking, driving or riding through, around or under a closed railway gate under Section 223(3) attracts the same penalty.
Overtaking, traffic officers and restricted parking
1. Overtaking at pedestrian crossings – Section 224
- Overtaking a vehicle that has stopped at a pedestrian crossing to allow a pedestrian to cross attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Failing to slow down when approaching a marked pedestrian crossing under Section 224(2) attracts the same penalty.
2. Disobeying traffic control officers or devices – Section 226(3)
- Disobeying a traffic control officer or traffic control device attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
3. Unauthorised use of bus stops or taxi stands – Section 227(3)
- Using a bus stop or taxi stand without authorisation attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
4. Parking in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities – Section 228(3)
- Parking in a space reserved for persons with disabilities without entitlement attracts a fine of up to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both.
Processions, funerals and public transport
1. Driving in a procession without obeying the rules – Section 229(2)
- Driving in a procession without complying with the applicable rules attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
2. Driving through a funeral or authorised procession – Section 230(3)
- Driving through a funeral or other authorised procession attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
3. Stopping or parking buses and taxis outside designated areas – Section 231(4)
- Stopping or parking a bus or taxi outside a designated stop or stand attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
4. Failure to provide facilities for persons with disabilities on public transport – Section 232(2)
- Failure to provide the required facilities for persons with disabilities on public transport attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
Parking offences – Section 235
Section 235 sets out several offences relating to improper parking:
- Parking contrary to traffic signs or near junctions – Section 235(1): Parking contrary to a traffic sign or within a prohibited distance of a junction attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Parking in front of building entrances or exits – Section 235(1)(d)–(e): Parking in front of a building entrance or exit attracts the same penalty.
- Parking contrary to instructions in designated parking areas – Section 235(2): Parking in a designated parking area contrary to the applicable instructions attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Parking in prohibited areas – Section 235(3): Parking in a loading area, a reserved permit-holder bay, on slip roads, a hard shoulder or central reserve, or near a junction, bend or crossing in a manner that obscures a traffic sign attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Double parking – Section 235(4): Parking abreast of another vehicle, commonly referred to as double parking, attracts the same penalty.
- Parking in an area designated for another category of vehicle – Section 235(5): Parking in an area designated for a different category of vehicle attracts a fine of 10 to 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
Billboards, television monitors and automated fines
The regulations also contain provisions dealing with road safety and automated enforcement.
1. Outdoor advertising signs obstructing traffic controls – Section 236(3)
- An outdoor advertising sign that interferes with traffic or obscures a traffic sign or device attracts a fine of 25 to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to three months.
2. Operating a television monitor while driving – Section 237(2)
- Using or operating a television monitor on the dashboard of a vehicle while it is in motion attracts a fine of up to 25 penalty units, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
3. Automated road traffic offences – Section 242(12)
- The regulations provide for offences detected by Traffic Enforcement Devices, including cameras, to attract graduated automated fines. The schedule provides for:
- First to third offence: 10 penalty units (GH¢120)
- Fourth offence: 15 penalty units (GH¢180)
- Fifth offence: 20 penalty units (GH¢240)
- Sixth offence within 24 months: Possible court-ordered licence revocation or suspension for a minimum of 12 months, together with retraining and retesting.
General penalty – Regulation 243 Regulation 243 provides a general penalty where the regulations do not prescribe a specific punishment for a particular contravention. According to the schedule, such an offence attracts a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units, imprisonment for up to eight months, or both.
Regulation 244 also allows a court to order retraining for offences involving carelessness, recklessness, or wilful disregard of the regulations, in addition to any fine or imprisonment imposed.
Other offences
The regulations also cover conduct beyond the operation and parking of vehicles:
- Washing or repairing vehicles on the road – Section 139(3)(b): Washing or repairing a vehicle on a road attracts a fine of 25 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
- Preaching or hawking on a moving public or commercial vehicle – Section 141: Preaching or hawking on a moving public or commercial vehicle attracts a fine of 10 to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to eight months.
- Selling goods on or alongside roads – Section 142(1): Selling goods on or alongside a road, on a pedestrian walkway, or near a railway crossing attracts a fine of up to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to three months.
The schedule also lists other offences covering areas including tyres, brakes, learner drivers, and vehicle and driver requirements.
The Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), are now in force, and the offences schedule is being used as a reference for enforcement and prosecution. The provisions mean that motorists and other road users could face not only fines but, depending on the offence, imprisonment or additional measures such as retraining, retesting, and licence suspension.
Authored by D/Sgt. Nana Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan, Legal & Prosecution Unit, RHQ/Ho
