The Police Administration on Wednesday warned motorists against the abuse of siren and hazard lights by some state institutions and officials, hospital ambulances, security companies and bullion vans.
A statement issued in Accra by Deputy Superintendent of Police Cephas Arthur, Acting Director of Public Affairs said: “The Police Administration has observed that the abuse of siren and hazard lights by both authorised and unauthorised persons has become a nuisance to law abiding citizens.”
“It is a common sight to see motorists meandering their way through traffic with the aid of the sirens and hazard lights, when they are not responding to situations that demand their use. Clearly, they are employed to beat traffic, or to avoid following the queues, thereby causing traffic congestion and inconvenience to other road users,” it added.
The statement reminded the public that institutions and vehicles entitled to the use of siren are government vehicles used for official purposes by the Head of State, police vehicles, vehicles used by recognised fire brigades, ambulances or vehicles used as ambulances by recognised hospitals or clinics.
“Consequently, the police wishes to use this opportunity to entreat motorists, be they security officers, other officials of state or private individuals to desist from abusing the use of sirens and the hazard lights, as police operation will be launched soon to arrest perpetrators for prosecution irrespective of their status,” the statement added.
In a related development, the police warned motorists who in order to avoid joining long queues had cultivated the habit of driving on the shoulders of the road that they were committing an offence.