All road crashes indicators in the first five months of 2025 have recorded significant increases compared to the same period in 2024.
The percentage increases are: cases reported – 8.9%, vehicles involved – 8.5%, persons killed – 18.9%, persons injured – 10.7%, and pedestrian knockdowns – 9.9%.
1,267 lives lost in 5 months
Statistics compiled by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service and analysed by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) showed that 1,267 commuters were killed between January and May this year.
Motorcycles kill 582 (45.9%)
Motorcycles, despite carrying fewer passengers, accounted for the highest number of fatalities, killing 582 people—representing 45.9% of all road deaths.
Commercial vehicles killed 427 (33.7%)
They were followed by commercial vehicles, which claimed 427 lives, constituting 33.7% of total fatalities.
Private vehicles killed 258 (20.3%)
Private vehicles were responsible for 258 deaths, making up 20.3% of all commuters killed.
This comprises 992 males (78%) and 275 females (22%).
The data reveals a 1:4 ratio—meaning for every one female killed, four males are killed.
This reflects a consistent trend in past years, with males accounting for the majority of road fatalities.
Month-by-month fatality comparison
The monthly distribution of deaths indicates 231 fatalities in January 2025 compared to 174 in 2024.
In February, 267 people were killed in 2025, as against 195 in 2024.
In March, fatalities rose from 240 last year to 254 this year.
April 2025 recorded 259 deaths, higher than the 220 in 2024.
In May 2025, deaths increased to 256 from 237 in May 2024. February recorded the highest number of deaths with 267 fatalities in 2025.
Children account for 11% of fatalities
From January to May 2025, 140 (11%) of the people killed were below the age of 18 years, while 1,127 (89%) were adults (above 18 years).
This suggests that for every seven adults killed, one child is killed—indicating a 7:1 ratio.
This disparity is partly attributed to the higher exposure of adults to traffic risks compared to children.
6,111 crashes reported involving 10,378 vehicles
A total of 6,111 road traffic crashes were reported from January to May 2025.
These crashes involved 10,378 vehicles of all categories (private, commercial, motorbikes/cycles, etc.) and resulted in 8,278 casualties, consisting of 1,267 deaths and 7,011 injuries.
Crash severity classification
Out of the 6,111 road crashes recorded between January and May 2025, 2,903 (48%) were classified as minor, 2,213 (36%) as serious, and 995 (16%) as fatal crashes.
The number of injuries recorded in this period saw a slight increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Injuries peak in February, drop in April
In 2025, February recorded the highest number of injuries with 1,532, while April recorded the lowest with 1,304 injuries.
Pedestrian knockdowns surge nearly 10%
A total of 1,095 pedestrians were knocked down from January to May 2025.
This represents a 9.9% increase over the same period in 2024, which recorded 996 knockdowns.
May 2025 saw the highest number of pedestrian knockdowns, with 265 cases.
Private vehicles lead in crash involvement
Private vehicles constituted the largest share of vehicles involved in crashes from January to May 2025, representing 41%, followed by commercial vehicles at 34%, and motorcycles at 25%.
The proportion of vehicle types involved in crashes increased when compared to the same period in 2024, with commercial vehicles increasing by 7%, private vehicles by 3.1%, and motorcycles by 21.1%.
Two-wheelers dominate cycle crashes
Cumulatively, from January to May 2025, motorbikes (two-wheelers only) accounted for 73% of cycles involved in crashes, while tricycles accounted for 24%.
Bicycles and handcarts made up 2% and 1%, respectively.
While motorcycles constituted only 25% of all vehicles involved in crashes, their contribution to crash numbers is considered alarming, especially given their smaller share of the total vehicle population.
Accra leads in crashes, Ashanti in deaths
The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of crashes with 1,908 and ranked third in fatalities with 161 deaths.
The Ashanti Region followed in crash count (1,850) but recorded the highest fatalities at 325.
The Eastern Region came third in the number of crashes (842) and second in fatalities with 268 deaths.
Savannah and Northern regions show extreme trends
The Savannah Region recorded the highest percentage increase in crashes at 52% from January to May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
It also saw a staggering 141.7% increase in fatalities.
In contrast, the Northern Region recorded the highest percentage decrease in crashes, with a 51.16% drop, and a 50% reduction in fatalities.
Greater Accra records decline in deaths
Despite registering over twice as many crashes as the Eastern Region, Greater Accra recorded significantly fewer fatalities.
The Greater Accra Region experienced a 9.04% drop in fatalities compared to 2024, whereas the Ashanti Region recorded an increase of 41 deaths, representing a 14% rise.
The Eastern Region still surpassed Greater Accra in deaths.
For every 100 crashes, the Eastern Region recorded 28 deaths compared to 10 deaths in Greater Accra.
Critical regions identified for intervention
It can therefore be concluded that the Ashanti, Eastern, and Greater Accra regions are the most critical when it comes to crash-induced deaths (CIDs) in Ghana.
There is a pressing need for the NRSA, in collaboration with stakeholders, to intensify efforts to improve the situation in these high-risk regions.
Classification of road traffic crashes
Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) have been classified as fatal, serious, or minor based on the severity of the casualties.
Fatal crashes are those that result in the death of at least one person within 30 days of the crash.
Serious crashes are those that result in the serious injury of at least one person, leading to hospitalization for more than 24 hours.
Minor crashes involve either minor injuries requiring less than 24 hours of hospitalization or no injuries at all.
