Speaking on phone via bluetooth while driving not an offence but… — Police
The Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has clarified that drivers do not breach the law by making or receiving calls through a Bluetooth-enabled hands-free system or a vehicle’s built-in wireless phone network while driving.
However, the police cautioned that drivers could violate the law if they hold, touch or operate a mobile phone while behind the wheel in a manner that distracts them or interferes with their ability to drive safely.
The Director in charge of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Alexander Kwaku Obeng, made the clarification during an interview on Joy 99.7 FM on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
His comments followed remarks by the Programmes Manager of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) in the Ashanti Region, Samuel Adu Gyimah, who had indicated that motorists using mobile phones or vehicle Bluetooth systems while driving could be arrested under the newly introduced Traffitech system.
ACP Obeng explained that the law did not prohibit motorists from speaking while driving, stressing that the use of a hands-free Bluetooth system was not, in itself, an offence.
He said the key requirement was for drivers to maintain proper control of their vehicles, including keeping their attention on the road and their hands appropriately positioned on the steering wheel.
According to him, the danger arises when a driver physically holds or operates a phone while driving, as doing so can take a hand away from the steering wheel and divert attention from the road.
He therefore cautioned motorists against repeatedly touching or handling their phones while driving, noting that such conduct could amount to distracted driving and potentially constitute an offence.
What the law prohibits
Regulation 132 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519) prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle on a road or in a public place while holding, using or operating a cellular or mobile telephone or another communication device in one or both hands.
The regulation, however, provides an exception where a driver needs to contact the Police, Fire Service or another emergency service and stopping the vehicle would be unsafe or impracticable.
A person found guilty of breaching the provision may, upon summary conviction, be fined up to 50 penalty units, imprisoned for a period not exceeding three months, or subjected to both penalties.
With each penalty unit valued at GH¢12, the maximum fine under the provision is GH¢600.
ACP Obeng’s clarification therefore distinguishes between hands-free Bluetooth communication, which is not prohibited by itself, and physically holding or operating a mobile phone while driving, which is prohibited under the regulations.