Ivory Coast implements zero tolerance road safety crackdown

Ivorian authorities have transitioned from road safety awareness campaigns to a strict enforcement phase characterized by a “zero tolerance” policy. Following initial operations in Bouaké, law enforcement has expanded these measures to Abidjan under the “Zero Tolerance / Accident-Free Holidays” operation.

In Abidjan, joint teams from the police, gendarmerie, and the Special Road Safety Police Directorate (DPSSR) have targeted two- and three-wheeled vehicles. During a single day of enforcement in areas such as Cocody and Boulevard Félix Houphouët-Boigny, 37 motorcycles were impounded due to violations including lack of driver's licenses, missing registration documents, failure to wear helmets, and driving on restricted routes.

In Bouaké, the enforcement of mandatory helmet use has reportedly reached an 80% compliance rate. Beyond traffic safety, security forces in Bouaké conducted operations that resulted in the destruction of 22 drug dens, the arrest of 14 individuals, and the seizure of nearly two tons of falsified or substandard medicines. These actions follow a rise in road accidents and drug-related issues in the region.