Parents who give vehicles to children below 18 years could face imprisonment if those minors cause fatal accidents, Chief Inspector Frempong Ayeh Fergus of the Akim Oda Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has warned.
The police officer said parents who knowingly allow underage children to drive could be held legally responsible because Ghana’s road traffic laws do not permit minors without valid driving licences to operate vehicles.
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Police warn parents over underage driving
Chief Inspector Frempong Ayeh Fergus said parents must not allow their financial status or desire to reward their children to push them into violating road safety laws.
“Parents who give vehicles to children below 18 years should take note that if their child causes a fatal accident, they will be jailed alongside them,” he warned.
He cited Regulation 42(1) of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180), which prohibits vehicle owners from allowing people without the legal authority to drive to operate their vehicles.
The regulation states that a person must not “authorise, order, consent to, or knowingly permit the operation of a motor vehicle” by another person when they know that person has no legal right to do so.
The warning comes amid growing public debate over parents gifting cars to their children, particularly after senior high school completion or on birthdays.
The Ghana Education Service recently moved to discourage the practice following concerns that some young people are being given access to powerful vehicles before gaining the maturity and experience required to drive safely.
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Why the warning matters after East Legon crash
The police warning follows the high-profile East Legon accident involving a 16-year-old boy who crashed a Jaguar F-Pace into another vehicle in October 2024, killing two people.
The case highlighted the dangers of allowing minors to drive, especially when they do not have the required licence, experience or judgement to handle vehicles on public roads.
Road safety experts have repeatedly warned that young and inexperienced drivers are more likely to make dangerous decisions behind the wheel, putting themselves, passengers and other road users at risk.
In December 2024, the Family and Juvenile Court in Accra sentenced the teenager involved in the crash to six months at the Senior Correctional Centre.
The teenager was convicted after changing his plea to guilty to eight counts, including manslaughter, negligently causing harm, dangerous driving and driving without a licence.
The court, presided over by Bernice Mensimah Ackon, handed down the maximum punishment available under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 (Act 653) for a juvenile offender convicted of manslaughter.
As part of the sentence, the teenager was ordered not to drive until he turns 18, which is the legal driving age in Ghana.
He was also directed to report to probation officers every Friday.
Meanwhile, Bishop Salifu Amoako and the teenager’s mother were fined a combined GH¢12,000 for failing to properly control their son.
They were also required to sign an undertaking to take responsibility for his upbringing.
Bishop Amoako was additionally ordered to pay for damaged properties, including an ECG light pole valued at more than GH¢8,000.
How the fatal crash happened
According to the prosecution’s facts presented by Assistant State Attorney Ebenezer Yaw Acquah, the teenager had repeatedly been given access to vehicles despite not having a valid driving licence.
The prosecutor told the court that on October 12, 2024, the teenager attended a birthday celebration organised by his family at an event centre in East Legon.
During the event, he requested the keys to his mother’s Jaguar F-Pace Sports car from Linda Bonsu Bempah, a personal assistant who had been keeping the vehicle keys.
He later drove away with a friend to meet others who were waiting in two SUVs, forming a convoy through parts of East Legon.
The prosecution said the teenager drove recklessly at high speed before approaching the junction of Dzane-Ashie Road and Mensah Wood Avenue.
He crashed into the rear of an Acura saloon car driven by Joseph Ackah, causing both vehicles to hit a wall and an ECG pole before catching fire.
The teenager and his passenger escaped, but two children trapped inside the Acura died after bystanders were unable to rescue them from the burning vehicle.
Investigators later concluded that the teenager’s driving fell far below the standard expected of a careful and competent driver and endangered other road users.
What parents should know
The police warning serves as a reminder that responsibility for road safety does not only rest with young drivers.
Vehicle owners and guardians who knowingly allow children without driving licences to operate cars can also face legal consequences.
Authorities are urging parents to consider the safety of their children and other road users before allowing minors access to vehicles.
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