An 18-year-old person in Ghana can get a driver’s license. Authority in charge of issuing driver’s license is Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). This authority body settles controversies on those people that may be permitted to drive. People with disabilities are not barred from operating. Those physically challenged can have cars made to their specification suiting their needs.
Not later than 2003, driver testing was done orally succeeded by the in-traffic test. In 2004, a written test was introduced. This was faced with the task of translating for those that could not read as the questions were in the English language. An interpreter was needed especially if the applicant and the authority personnal spoke the different style. This process was hideous and by 2007 the authority had put an end to translation. Applicants could now read and answer questions on their own. This test did not hold for long as it was met with challenges like corruption, mistrust, and unfairness. In 2014 a test meeting international standards and that which proved useful was introduced. The Computer-Based Theory Test.
To help reduce road accidents by ensuring those that got a driving license were expert and skillful drivers, Road Traffic Regulations, L.I. 2180 of 2012 did 48-hour mandatory training for all drivers. An applicant was expected to enroll in a driving school to understand the following; road rules and regulations, the legal duty of a new driver according to the law, getting to know how a car works and routine inspections, comprehending the step-by-step way of driving and maintaining a vehicle.
For one to obtain a driver’s license; the applicant should be 18 years and more, be of sound mind, physically and mentally fit, and possess an ID card or passport and two passport size pictures. The procedure for obtaining a licence is; buying and filling forms F and F1, physical and eye checkup, recording of biometric data and timelining for a writing exam, getting learner permit, written test, oral test, in-traffic test, paying for license and P-Plate, seizing for driver’s license and finally getting a temporary license and P-Plate.
The driver’s license usually is delivered after three months however DVLA is making efforts to see that the time is reduced to two weeks.
The procedure of securing a license is quite easy its primary purpose to ensure that anyone with a driver license is competent. Other people opt to go through intermediaries locally known as Goro boys to get their license. They usually run the risk of getting a fake license and pose a threat to other road users.
