Ghana records 13,000 road accidents and 2,600 deaths in 11 months, police warn

The Director of Education, Research, and Training at the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), Chief Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng, has raised concerns over Ghana’s worsening road safety situation, revealing alarming figures just weeks before the Christmas season.

He disclosed that 13,000 road accidents were recorded between January and November this year, describing the trend as both “perplexing” and deeply worrying.

According to Chief Supt. Obeng, these crashes involved more than 22,000 vehicles, including private cars, commercial vehicles, and motorcycles, with motorcycles continuing to dominate incidents and account for a large share of serious injuries and deaths.

Within the same 11-month period, 13,000 people sustained injuries, many of them severe, placing a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system.

Even more concerning, 2,600 people have lost their lives in road traffic crashes so far this year, with 1,937 males and 492 females affected, highlighting a disproportionate impact on men, particularly young adults.

Pedestrians have also suffered heavily, with 550 deaths recorded while walking along roads or attempting to cross them. “Many of these deaths are linked to motorcycle crashes,” he noted in an interview on Channel One TV.

Chief Supt. Obeng warned that the festive Yuletide period, traditionally one of the most dangerous times on the road, could see the risks rise sharply if urgent action is not taken.

“The national road safety problem in Ghana calls for all hands on deck,” he said, stressing that the continuous rise in crashes shows that current safety measures are insufficient.