Six local languages have been added to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority’s (DVLA) computer-based driving test system. Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, October 12, Chief Executive Officer Julius Neequaye Kotey said the new system is designed to accommodate applicants who cannot read or write in English.

“We call it CBT Platform to assist applicants who cannot read or write in English. The translation software allows applicants to take mandatory driving tests in six local languages,” he said.

“This initiative is intended to reduce language barriers and help applicants demonstrate their knowledge of road signs, traffic regulations and safe driving practices. We are working on increasing the number of local languages in this regard,” he added.

He added that, driving licence holders will receive SMS reminders from the Authority one month and two weeks before their licences expire under the new notification system.

“This is done a month before expiry, and then the last message is sent two weeks before the date of expiry. For every customer whose mobile number used during the licence application has not changed, they must be qualified to receive such notifications,” he said.

Meanwhile, Over 4,000 applicants were unable to secure driver’s licences this year after failing mandatory eye examinations conducted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

This raises concerns about the role of poor eyesight in road crashes across Ghana. The Authority disclosed this in its 2025 nationwide eye-screening report released on Thursday, June 11. According to the DVLA, a total of 251,117 commercial and private drivers underwent compulsory eye screening across the country during the year.

Out of this number, 218,471 applicants, representing about 87 percent, passed the eye test at their first attempt. However, 32,645 applicants initially failed the screening due to various eye conditions.

Following further assessment and required interventions, 4,896 applicants were ultimately found not to meet the required visual standards and were therefore denied driver’s licences.

The development forms part of the DVLA’s intensified efforts to address impaired vision, which is considered a significant but often overlooked factor in road traffic accidents.

The screenings uncovered a range of vision-related conditions among drivers, including glaucoma, cataracts, refractive errors, and complications linked to hypertension.

During an engagement with the media, the Director for Driver Training, Testing and Licensing at the DVLA, Kafui Semevo, said many drivers only became aware of their eye conditions during the screening process.He stressed that the strict enforcement of Regulation 29 of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2180 was crucial to reducing preventable road crashes and improving road safety.

Regulation 29 of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2180 is the section of Ghana’s Road Traffic Regulations that deals specifically with driver fitness and medical standards, including eyesight.

"Drivers whose vision impairments could not be corrected had their licences revoked in line with the law, while those with treatable conditions had their licences suspended until they were medically cleared," Semevo stated.

He further disclosed that policy discussions were underway regarding persons identified as having "single vision," a condition highlighted in a survey conducted by the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

Under the proposed policy, drivers with certain visual limitations may still be allowed to operate private vehicles, but they would not be permitted to drive commercial transport.

To determine how effective these changes are, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority has partnered with the University of Cape Coast and the Ghana Optometric Association (GOA) to study the reforms and their influence on road safety outcomes.