Phone in Hand While Driving? What Ghana’s New Road Rules Say

Update, 29 September 2026: The Ghana Police Service has moved full TRAFFITECH-GH implementation from 1 November to 1 November 2026 for more public education. Read the new Police announcement. Existing road traffic rules remain in force.

The phone rings. You glance down and reach for it while the car is moving. What do Ghana’s new road rules say? Regulation 132 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), addresses a driver holding, using or operating a mobile telephone or other communication device while driving.

The stated legal penalty is a fine of up to 50 penalty units. At GH¢12 for one penalty unit, that means up to GH¢600. The regulation also allows imprisonment of up to three months, or both a fine and imprisonment, following the applicable legal process. The published explainer says the same rule applies to a person supervising a learner driver who uses a hand-held device while driving.

Is every phone incident a GH¢600 camera ticket?

No. “Up to GH¢600” is the maximum fine described for the underlying Regulation 132 offence, not a universal charge automatically generated by a camera. TRAFFITECH-GH has a separate schedule for qualifying offences detected by enforcement devices. The particular allegation, evidence and legal route matter. We explain why the different amounts appear in a separate article.

The safest routine is simple: set directions before setting off, put the phone out of reach and pull over lawfully before reading or replying to a message. A brief glance can remove your attention just as a person, vehicle or hazard enters your path.

Ghana Police say full implementation of TRAFFITECH-GH begins on 1 November 2026, with detected incidents reviewed before an electronic notice is issued. The launch does not change the basic reason for the phone rule: a driver needs attention on the road.

These are offences under Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519). The stated fine and imprisonment ranges are legal penalties, with imprisonment subject to court proceedings. They should not be mistaken for an automatic TRAFFITECH-GH camera notice.