CUTS rally support for BAC revision

A leading Public Policy think tank, CUTS International, Accra is rallying key Road Safety stakeholders to join the advocacy to support government efforts, through the Ministry of Transport and other State Road Agencies to revise the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683), particularly, the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels to conform with World Health Organization (WHO) standards and reduce drink driving road crashes during Christmas.

At a town hall meeting organized by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in collaboration with CUTS, Street Sense, Ghana Police Service and Driver Vehicle License Authority (DVLA), in Accra, the West African Regional Director for CUTS International, Mr Appiah Kusi Adomako said drink driving is a major cause of road accidents in the country and evidence has shown that the risk of a fatal accident occurring under the influence of alcohol increases significantly at 0.08 mg/ml BAC level and above.

“At this level, all drivers and riders are said to be impaired regarding driving performance. As such, most countries across the globe have revised their BAC limit from 0.08 mg/ml to 0.05 mg/ml to conform with WHO standards, hence, the campaign,” he explained.

Mr Adomako explained that the behavioral consequences associated with alcohol intoxication included impaired driving leading to road accidents, acts of aggression and violence towards self and others.

“Being aware that the government, through the Ministry of Transport (MOT), has started the process of revising the blood alcohol content limit from the current 0.008 mg/ml to 0.005 mg/ml as a way of reducing accidents on the road occasioned by drunk driving and conform with the World Health Organization (WHO) standard, we support the initiative” he added.

Mr Adomako disclosed that so far, his outfit has the support of the Ghana Online Driver Union (Uber, Yango, Bolt Drivers union), Ghana Driver & Road Safety Awards, Beverage Consumers & Bar Owners Association, National Motor Riders Association, the Media, CSOs Platform on Road Safety.

On his path, CUTS' Communication and Advocacy lead, Mr Shadrack Nii Yarboi Yartey is urging all stakeholders including drivers’ unions, motorists, civil society organizations, and Parliament to support the BAC amendment process. He advised Ghanaians to be cautious during the festivities and be moderate in their consumption of alcohol.

CUTS with support from the National Road Safety Partnership is advocating for the revision of Ghana’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level from 0.08mg/ml to 0.05mg/ml.