Truck Driver Jailed for 6 Months After Causing Train Crash in Ghana

Abel Dzidotor, a 41-year-old truck driver, has been sentenced to six months in jail by the Juapong Circuit Court in Ghana for his role in causing a train crash on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line. On April 18, 2024, Dzidotor left his Hyundai truck unattended on the tracks, leading to a collision with a newly imported Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train during a test run. The train, procured from Poland at a cost of $4.2 million, sustained minor damage to the driver's cab section, but fortunately, no injuries were reported among the train's occupants.

Dzidotor pleaded guilty to three out of four charges, including careless and inconsiderate driving, unauthorized stopping, and causing unlawful damage. He was fined 100 penalty units for careless and inconsiderate driving, 20 penalty units for unauthorized stopping, and received a six-month sentence with hard labor for causing unlawful damage. The court also ordered Dzidotor to present his driver's license by May 9, 2024, or face potential additional consequences.

The incident provoked outrage on social media, with some users accusing the truck driver of deliberately parking the vehicle on the tracks to make the government unpopular. However, the police investigation found that Dzidotor had been on a cement block delivery when his truck became trapped on the rail after he was unable to use a pass-through beneath a bridge. The Railways Ministry stated that the truck was parked in a curve, making it difficult for the train to stop in time, despite the application of the emergency braking system.

Why this matters: The train crash serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of safety measures and responsible behavior around railway lines in Ghana. The incident has raised concerns about the reliability and security of the country's newly acquired trains and emphasizes the need for increased public awareness and enforcement of traffic regulations to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Charles Owusu, a Ghanaian public figure, condemned the truck driver's actions, likening them to "suicide bombing" and describing the incident as "beyond madness." The Railway Minister, John Peter Amewu, called the accident "unfortunate, irresponsible, and unpatriotic." Engineers are currently working to repair the damaged train, which was part of a larger 1,000 km project aimed at linking Ghana and Burkina Faso via the Tema port. The government had procured two DMUs to run the standard gauge rail line, with the second train scheduled for shipment in May.

Key Takeaways

• Truck driver sentenced to 6 months in jail for causing train crash in Ghana
• Truck left unattended on tracks, colliding with $4.2M imported DMU train during test
• Driver pleaded guilty, fined, and sentenced for careless driving and unlawful damage
• Incident raises concerns about safety and security of Ghana's new train system
• Government condemns driver's actions as "irresponsible and unpatriotic"