The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has reported that approximately 1,237 people died from road crashes between January and June 2024.
Many of these fatalities were caused by wrongful overtaking and drivers’ failure to observe traffic signs.
Pearl Adusu Sateckla, Head of Public Relations at the NRSA, described the situation as worrying, citing head-on collisions resulting from wrongful overtaking and overspeeding as a major contributory factor.
Research shows that about 90% of drivers in Ghana do not adhere to speed limits, leading to severe crashes when speeds are high.
The provisional national traffic crash and casualty statistics reveal 6,653 road traffic crashes, involving 11,283 vehicles and resulting in 8,798 casualties, from January to June 2024.
Knockdowns decreased by 4%, while persons killed increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2023.
The statistics also show a disproportionate impact on adults, with 88% of fatalities being adults and 12% children, indicating a high road traffic death ratio for adults.
Regional variations in crash rates and fatalities were observed, with Bono Region recording a 41.5% increase and Upper East Region a 41.2% decrease.
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana has called on the government to investigate recent road accidents and make findings public.
