Liberia's Vehicle and Traffic Law, unchanged since its passage in 1972, is poised for a long-awaited overhaul. The Road Safety Action International (RSAI) convened its second and final validation workshop Thursday in Monrovia, bringing together major transport-sector stakeholders to review and assess the final revised draft.
The workshop marks the culmination of a nationwide review process spearheaded by RSAI, commissioned by the Ministry of Transport and funded by the National Road Fund, aimed at modernizing the law and addressing mounting road safety concerns. The first validation session took place on November 13.
Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Liberia National Police, the Ministry of Justice, transport unions, and the Road Safety Secretariat.
Opening the session, RSAI Executive Director Eric Gabriel Jenn-Judges emphasized the urgency of reforming Liberia's road safety framework, noting that Africa carries the world's highest burden of road fatalities despite Liberia's relatively small vehicle fleet.
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"Road safety issues are alarming, and Africa bears the largest burden in road fatality," he said, calling the situation an "epidemic." He stressed that one key step in addressing the problem is updating the current law. "To solve this problem, one key issue identified was the current law and the need to revisit it."
Jenn-Judges expressed confidence that the revised policy will gain support from the Legislature and relevant institutions to advance national road safety.
Speaking on behalf of the African Development Bank, Senior Transport Engineer Kaustella Kialain Sarsh highlighted the Bank's role in integrating road safety standards into its funded projects. She said the updated Vehicle and Traffic Law addresses critical gaps, including universal seatbelt and child-restraint requirements, clearer helmet rules for motorcycles and tricycles, improved speed management, and stronger enforcement of roadworthiness and axle-load regulations.
"AfDB views the revised VTL as essential to saving lives, protecting costly road investments and strengthening the mandates of key institutions like MoT, LNP and the Road Safety Secretariat," Sarsh said, reaffirming the Bank's commitment to supporting safer and more resilient transport systems in Liberia.
During the discussion, transport union representatives raised concerns over what they described as unrealistic and inflated fines imposed by some traffic officers. Eric Paul Saye of the Federation of Road Transport Union said drivers often face fines "far above what they report to their bosses," while others highlighted the lack of parking areas or safe pull-off points for disabled vehicles.
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"There is a need for more parking lots to aid stranded drivers and passengers along the highway in the case where their vehicles break down," said Gbaylee P. Wah.
In response, Assistant Commissioner of Police Juah Cooper, head of the LNP Traffic Enforcement Unit, defended the issuance of high-value tickets for serious offenses. He said he regularly issues US$100 citations to motorists driving on the wrong side of the road.
"Whatever the court says, that's final," Cooper said. "I'm not going to issue you $20 but something that will restrain you from repetition."
His statement was immediately challenged by Atty. Ellen Ziah-Nimely, who countered that traffic fines are fixed by law.
"There's a set fine for any traffic violation and as such, a police officer overstepping the fines is a violation," she said.
The revised Vehicle and Traffic Law will now be forwarded to the President, marking a significant step toward modernizing Liberia's road safety regulations after more than five decades without reform.
