The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has expressed deep concern over the recent surge in road traffic crashes across several regions in Ghana, resulting in 27 deaths and 42 injuries within the past two weeks.
The affected regions—Central, Eastern, Ashanti, Volta, North-East, and Oti—have recorded a worrying increase in accidents, despite the nation’s overall decline in road traffic crashes over the last three years.
The NRSA in a statement has described the situation as unacceptable, citing the socio-economic toll on victims, their families, and the country.
Ghana has long struggled with road safety challenges, with road traffic crashes ranking among the leading causes of injury and death in the country.
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and other stakeholders have worked to reduce accident rates through public awareness campaigns, enforcement of traffic regulations, and road infrastructure improvements.
Despite some progress, driver indiscipline remains a persistent issue, leading to tragic incidents that claim lives and disrupt families.
Preliminary reports from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) have attributed the crashes to driver indiscipline, including excessive speeding, wrongful overtaking, and mobile phone use while driving.
These risky behaviors continue to undermine road safety efforts and put lives at risk.
Acting Director-General of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba Esq, extended condolences to the families of the deceased and victims of the accidents.
He stressed that many of the crashes involved public service vehicles, which are expected to uphold higher standards of safety and service delivery.
“In the coming weeks, the Authority shall scale up its regulatory efforts to reduce the risks associated with commercial or public service vehicles,” Mr. Amaliba stated.
The NRSA is urging all road users to play their part in ensuring safety by adhering to speed limits—90 km/h on highways, 50 km/h in urban areas, and 30 km/h in settlement zones.
Motorists engaging in reckless driving practices risk arrest and prosecution by the Ghana Police Service’s MTTD.
With road safety being a collective responsibility, the NRSA is calling for increased stakeholder engagement and public cooperation to curb the rising cases of road traffic accidents and safeguard lives on Ghana’s roads.
By CHRISTABEL OBOSHIE ANNAN, Accra
