Owners of broken down vehicles to be jailed

Owners of broken down vehicles and trucks will be jailed if they fail to tow their vehicles immediately they break down.

The new regulation is contained in the amended Road Traffic Regulations, 2017, which is yet to be presented to Parliament for consideration.

Portions of the regulation states that “If an owner of a motor vehicle or trailer, or a person in charge of a motor vehicle or trailer, whose motor vehicle or trailer breaks down or is involved in an accident on a roadway, shall immediately ensure its removal.

“An owner of a motor vehicle or trailer or a person in charge of motor vehicle or trailer which has broken down, or has been involved in an accident on a roadway who permits the motor vehicle or trailer to remain on the roadway commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine or not less than fifty penalty units and not more than one hundred and fifty penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment of not less than three months and not more than twelve months or to both.

“Where a broken down motor vehicle or trailer is left on a roadway or left in circumstances that constitutes a danger of death or injury to any other person using the road, the police or a Metropolitan, Municipal or District Assembly shall compulsorily tow or authorise a service provider to tow the motor vehicle or trailer to a designated parking depot.”

The new regulation comes after the government suspended the mandatory towing levy which was scheduled to commence on July 1, 2017.

Credit: Starrfmonline