Practical summary of the Ghana Highway Code
Guidelines and rules of thumb to drive safely with special section for Road Signs
General
- Keep your car in good condition:
- regularly check lights, breaks, steering, tyres, direction indicators
- regularly clean windscreen and windows
Wear seatbelts
When on a motercycle, scooter or moped, always wear a safety helmet
Know all road signs
Defensive driving
| Your SPEED | Your DISTANCE |
| 30 kmh | 15 meter |
| 50 kmh | 25 meter |
| 70 kmh | 50 meter |
| 90 kmh | 75 meter |
| 120 kmh | 100 meter |
Signal about what you plan to do
Use your mirrors
Keep to the speed limit, especially to 50 kmh (km per hour) in town
Keep your distance to the car before you:
Mind pedestrians, cyclists and animals along the road
Give way to ambulance, fire engines or police when their blue lights flash or two-tone horns sound
Respect limits in using of alcohol or medicine
Emergency
Control your car in emergency situations:
if a tyre blows, do NOT slam brakes; control your steering wheel, steer right ahead and slowly stop
if a rearwheel skid happens, do NOT slam brakes: turn your steering wheel in the direction of the skid, as the car straightens out, straighten the front wheels also
if the accelaration pedal jams, turn off ignition and brake to a stop, leaving your car in gear !
In case of misbehaviour of other road users: warn with horn and with flashlights, pull to the right as far as possible
Lines and lanes
Keep right when you plan no special action
Single broken line:
you may cross for overtaking, when the road is clear
Double solid line:
you may NOT cross in any circumstance
Mixed line:
you may cross for overtaking, when the dotted line is on your side and the road is clear
Dual carriageway (motorway only):
keep right, when you have moderate speed
go to the left for overtaking only
Three-lane carriageway (motorway only):
keep right, when you have moderate speed
stay in the middle, when slower vehicles are on your right
go to the left for overtaking only
Choose your lane when turning left or right: follow road markings and arrows in time !
Do not enter areas marked with yellow diagonal stripes
Overtaking
Check if the road is clear using your mirrors, signal before acting
Overtake quickly and move back to the right
Do NOT accelerate while being overtaken
Give way to cars coming to you from the opposite direction
On motorways never overtake on the right side
Do NOT overtake:
when coming to a junction, a crossing, a corner or bend, a bridge or a hill
when the road narrows
when you might hinder another car
when you would have to violate rules for lines and lanes
when there is a "no overtaking" road sign
Road Junctions
Look left, look right, look left again before crossing or turning; use your mirrors to double-check
On a level crossing, give way to a car from the left
On a priority junction:
when you have NO priority, stop at the "stop" or "give way" road sign, wait for a safe gap in the traffic before moving on
when you have priority, make sure other road users give way to you before moving on
when a mandatory road sign is present, follow indicated direction
When controlled by traffic lights, follow the lights, but make sure other road users give way before moving on at a green light
When controlled by a police officer, follow his/her directions at all times
Roundabouts
turning right: stay to the rightside of the road or choose the outer lane if two lanes are present (yellow arrows)
going forward: you are free to choose the inside (blue arrows) or the outside (yellow arrows) of the roundabout, but once on the inside you should not turn right anymore (red arrows); likewise, when on the outside you should not go left (red arrows)
going left: use the inside of the roundabout or choose the inner lane if two lanes are present (blue arrows)
When approaching: give way to a car from the left
When on the roundabout follow directions for turning right, going straight forward and going left:
Reversing
Make sure no one is behind you, particularly pedestrians and children
When you cannot see clearly: get a guide
Never reverse from a side road into a main road
Lights
Use headlamps where there is no street lighting
Use dipped headlamps in build-up areas
Dip your lamps when meeting other cars
If you are dazzled by other cars, slow down
Use headlamps when there is mist
Waiting and parking
Do NOT park where
there is a prohibitory road sign
it would be difficult for others to see clearly
it would be a danger to others
it would hold up traffic or make the road narrow
emergency vehicles stop
Take care when opening a door when leaving, use your handbrake, turn off lights and always lock your car
Breakdowns and accidents
If you have a breakdown:
get your car off the road
flash the amber direction indicators
place the red reflecting triangle 50 meters before your car
Accidents:
if there is no help: give first aid
if there is help available: pass slowly and follow indications of police
Motorways
Joining:
When approaching from a road on the right (slip road): give way to traffic already on the motorway, accelerate in the extra lane, join the inside lane when you have the same speed as the traffic
Leaving:
When leaving by a road on the right: watch for the signs about your turn-off point, give a clear signal, get into the right lane and join the slip road in time
If you miss your turn-off point, carry on until the next one, do NOT reverse or turn back
Railway level crossings
Keep your distance at any level crossing
Do not cross a railway once the red lights have started to flash
At crossings without gates: always stop, look both ways, listen carefully if there is no train coming
If you are just crossing when the red lights start flashing: keep going
