Where You Must NEVER Park in Ghana
Parking offences are among the most common causes of fines, vehicle towing, clamping, and DVLA test failures in Ghana. Many drivers park in dangerous, illegal, or obstructive locations without realizing the serious consequences.
⚠️ Important Legal Note: Parking in prohibited areas has no "grace period"—even parking for one minute can result in fines, towing, or clamping. This article explains places where parking is strictly prohibited.
Near Junctions and Intersections
🚦
You must never park:
- At or near road junctions and intersections
- At corners where visibility is reduced
- Within 15 meters of intersections
- At T-junctions or Y-junctions
Why parking near junctions is dangerous:
- Blocks drivers' view of oncoming traffic
- Causes collisions at intersections
- Obstructs turning vehicles
- Prevents proper traffic flow
- Increases accident risk significantly
📚
DVLA Rule: Parking near junctions is a serious offence and common test failure point. Even experienced drivers can fail their driving test for this.
On Bridges, Flyovers, and Tunnels
Never park on or near:
🌉
Bridges
No stopping allowed under any circumstances
🛣️
Flyovers
Strictly prohibited for parking
🚇
Tunnels
Emergency stopping only with hazard lights
🚧
Viaducts
Elevated roads with no parking allowed
Why these are danger zones:
- No safe escape route in emergencies
- Obstructs high-speed traffic flow
- Dangerous during breakdowns or accidents
- Narrow lanes with no shoulder space
- Limited visibility for approaching drivers
- Rescue access is difficult and delayed
🚗 Emergency Breakdown Protocol: If your vehicle breaks down on a bridge, flyover, or in a tunnel: 1) Turn on hazard lights immediately 2) Place warning triangle 50m behind vehicle 3) Stay in vehicle with seatbelt on 4) Call for emergency assistance 5) Do not attempt repairs yourself.
On Bends, Hills, and Sharp Curves
🔄
Parking is prohibited:
- On curves or bends in the road
- Near hill crests (blind spots)
- At sharp curves with limited visibility
- On roads with restricted sightlines
- On winding mountain or hilly roads
The physics of danger:
- Reduces visibility for oncoming drivers by 70-90%
- Prevents drivers from reacting in time (minimum 3-second rule)
- Causes sudden braking and swerving into oncoming traffic
- Increases head-on collision risk by 5 times
- Gravity affects vehicle control on hills
📏
Visibility Rule: If you can't see at least 100 meters ahead in both directions, you're in a no-parking zone. This is especially critical on Ghana's winding rural roads.
In Front of Entrances and Exits
🚪
Gates & Entrances
- In front of residential gates
- At commercial building entrances
- Blocking driveways and access roads
- At hotel and restaurant entrances
- At market and shopping center entrances
🚒
Emergency Exits
- At fire station exits
- Blocking ambulance bays
- At emergency vehicle access points
- Hospital emergency department entrances
- Police station access roads
Legal and safety implications:
- Blocks access for residents, businesses, and customers
- Prevents emergency vehicles from responding (seconds count)
- Causes legal complaints leading to immediate towing
- Violates property rights and access laws
- Can lead to civil lawsuits for blocking business
- Fire department can legally damage vehicles blocking access
🚑 Emergency Access Facts: Every minute of delay in emergency response reduces survival rates by 10%. Blocking emergency access is not just illegal—it can literally cost lives.
Near Schools, Hospitals, and Fire Stations
Parking is strictly prohibited:
🏫
Schools
Within 50m of entrances during school hours
🏥
Hospitals
Ambulance zones and all access roads
🚒
Fire Stations
In front and all access routes (24/7)
👮
Police Stations
Official vehicle zones and access points
Why these zones have special protection:
- Emergency access must always be clear and immediate
- High pedestrian and vehicle movement requires safety
- Strict enforcement zones with heavy penalties (2x normal fines)
- Children's safety requires clear visibility and access
- Medical emergencies require unobstructed ambulance access
- Fire trucks need wide turning radius and clear approaches
📅 School Zone Hours: Most school zones in Ghana have restricted parking Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Some extend to 6:00 PM for after-school activities. Always check local signage for exact times.
On Roads With Prohibitory Signs
Never park where signs indicate:
🅿️🚫
No Parking
Stopping allowed briefly (3-5 minutes max)
⏸️🚫
No Waiting
No stopping at all, even for drop-off
🚗💨
Clearway
No stopping anytime, 24/7 enforcement
🚌
Bus Stop
Bus zone only during operational hours
Road markings to watch for:
- Single yellow line: No parking during specified hours (check local signs)
- Double yellow line: No parking at any time
- Red lines: No stopping at any time (bus lanes, etc.)
- Zig-zag lines: Near schools, hospitals, pedestrian crossings
- Diagonal lines: No parking areas
🚫 Direct Offence: Ignoring parking signs and road markings is a direct traffic offence with immediate penalties. "I didn't see the sign" is not a legal defence.
On Main Roads and Highways
🛣️
Parking is prohibited:
- On highways and expressways (N1, N6, etc.)
- On major arterial roads in cities
- On roads with speed limits above 50 km/h
- On roads without shoulders or breakdown lanes
- On roads with continuous white line at edge
The only exception:
Emergency breakdowns only
You must follow these steps in order:
- Use hazard lights immediately
- Place reflective warning triangle 50m behind vehicle
- Stay in vehicle with seatbelt on
- Call for emergency assistance
- Move vehicle to shoulder if possible
These steps are critical for your safety on high-speed roads.
Why high-speed road parking is extremely dangerous:
- High-speed traffic creates closing speeds of 100-200 km/h
- Causes catastrophic rear-end collisions
- Obstructs traffic flow causing congestion and secondary accidents
- No safe parking areas or escape routes
- Limited visibility for approaching drivers
- Emergency services have difficulty reaching you
🚗 Safe Alternatives: If you need to stop on a highway, look for the next:
- Designated rest area - Official safe stopping zones
- Fuel station - With proper parking facilities
- Service center - Vehicle service and rest areas
- Exit ramp with safe stopping area - After leaving main highway
- Police checkpoint area - Only if occupied by officers
Never stop on the highway itself unless it's a genuine emergency.
Common Parking Mistakes Drivers Make
⏱️
"I was only parking for a minute" - Prohibited areas have NO grace period
🚗
Parking partially on the road - Half-on, half-off is still illegal and dangerous
↪️
Parking near corners "just briefly" - Even 30 seconds can cause an accident
🚸
Parking in school zones - During drop-off/pick-up times thinking "it's quick"
🚫
Ignoring "No Parking" signs - Because "others are parked there too"
🛒
Parking at market entrances - While shopping, blocking delivery and customer access
🌧️
Parking in rainy weather - In prohibited zones because "I don't want to walk far"
🌙
Nighttime parking violations - Thinking "no one will notice in the dark"
🚫 No Excuses Accepted: Traffic courts do not accept these common excuses. Fines for parking offences range from GHS 50-500, plus towing and storage fees. Repeat offenders face higher penalties and possible licence points.
Practical Parking Tips for Ghanaian Drivers
Before Parking Anywhere:
- Look for parking signs and road markings first
- Check if it's a clearway, bus lane, or restricted zone
- Ensure you're at least 15m from intersections
- Ensure you're at least 10m from pedestrian crossings
- Check for driveways, gates, or entrances you might block
- Look for yellow or red lines on the road edge
Safe Parking Habits:
- Always use designated parking lots when available
- Park in well-lit areas at night
- Ensure your vehicle doesn't obstruct traffic flow
- Use parking brakes and turn wheels toward curb on hills
- Lock your vehicle and don't leave valuables visible
- Take a photo of your parking location if unfamiliar area
For Commercial Drivers:
- Know your vehicle's dimensions and turning radius
- Use designated loading/unloading bays only
- Obey time restrictions on commercial parking
- Keep waybills and delivery documents accessible
- Plan your parking before reaching delivery locations
- Use spotters when parking large vehicles in tight spaces
🅿️ Remember: The few minutes saved by illegal parking are not worth the fines, towing costs, accident risks, or potential loss of life. When in doubt, find proper parking or circle the block again.
Summary (Quick Revision)
🚦 Never park near junctions and intersections (15m minimum distance)
🚶♂️ Never park at or near pedestrian crossings (10m minimum distance)
🌉 Never park on bridges, flyovers, or in tunnels (emergency breakdowns only)
🔄 Never park on bends, hills, or sharp curves (visibility rule applies)
🚪 Never block entrances, exits, or driveways (property access rights)
🏫 Never park near schools, hospitals, or fire stations (special protection zones)
🛑 Always obey "No Parking" and "No Waiting" signs and road markings
🛣️ Never park on highways or main roads (use designated rest areas)
📚 Parking offences are common DVLA test failure points
⏱️ Even brief parking in prohibited zones is illegal (no grace period)
🚗 Partial parking on roads is still illegal and dangerous
🚑 Emergency vehicles need clear access always (lives depend on it)
💰 Fines range from GHS 50-500 plus towing and storage fees
📝 Keep vehicle documents accessible in case of parking enforcement
🅿️ When in doubt, use designated parking areas or circle the block again
👮 Cooperation with traffic officers ensures smoother parking experiences
