Road crashes kill 2,038 in 10 months

The number of commuters killed in the first ten months of this year rose by 10.28%, from 1,848 fatalities in 2023 to 2,038 in 2024.
Data from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, analyzed by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), shows a total of 11,127 road traffic crashes from January to October 2024, involving 18,879 vehicles across various categories (private, commercial, and motorcycles).
These crashes resulted in 14,959 injuries and 2,038 fatalities.

Reduction in reported cases but increase in fatalities
From January to October 2024, reported crashes, vehicles involved, and pedestrian knockdowns all saw slight declines by 5.1%, 5.2%, and 3.9% respectively compared to 2023.
However, the number of persons killed increased by 10.3%, with injuries rising by 1.5%.
March 2024 recorded the highest monthly fatalities at 240, while October registered the highest number of crashes, totaling 1,307, with July recording the lowest at 817 crashes.

Monthly analysis of injuries and pedestrian knockdowns
Injuries slightly increased in 2024, with October recording the most injuries (1,513) and July the fewest (999).
Pedestrian-related crashes decreased by 3.92% from 2023, with 1,985 pedestrians knocked down in 2024 compared to 2,067 in the previous year.
June witnessed the highest pedestrian knockdowns at 223.

Age and gender breakdown of fatalities
From January to October, 246 (12%) of the fatalities were individuals under 18 years old, while 1,792 (88%) were adults. The data reveals that for every seven adults killed, one child lost their life, indicating a 7:1 fatality ratio for adults over children. Additionally, men accounted for 80% (1,623) of the deaths, with women representing 20% (415), maintaining a trend of higher male fatalities.

Vehicle types involved in crashes
Increases were recorded across all vehicle types in 2024, with commercial vehicles up by 12.8%, private vehicles by 16.8%, and cycles (motorcycles and others) by 44.1% compared to 2023. Private vehicles represented the largest proportion of vehicles involved (42%), followed by commercial vehicles (34%) and motorcycles (24%).

Motorcycles’ significant contribution to crash figures
While motorcycles constituted 24% of the vehicles involved in crashes, they represent a concerning share relative to their population.
Two-wheelers made up 73% of cycles involved in crashes, tricycles accounted for 23%, and bicycles and handcarts combined accounted for the remaining 3%.

Regional insights on crashes, injuries, and fatalities
The Bono Region saw the highest increase in crashes at 31.53%, while the Northern Region had the highest reduction at 39.39%. Ahafo Region recorded the highest injury increase (92.62%), while North East Region saw the steepest injury decrease (53.25%).
Bono Region also had a 100% rise in fatalities, while North East recorded a 48% decrease, and Upper East showed no change.

Severity of crashes in October 2024
In October, 51% of crashes were minor, 35% serious, and 14% fatal, totaling 1,307 incidents.
Motorcycles (two-wheelers) constituted 76% of cycles involved, with tricycles contributing 20%.
Private vehicles made up the largest share (44%) of vehicles in crashes, followed by commercial vehicles (32%) and motorcycles (23%).

Regional distribution of crashes and fatalities
From January to October, Greater Accra had the most crashes (3,390), ranking third in fatalities (320).
Ashanti followed in crash numbers and led in fatalities (524), while the Eastern Region ranked third in crashes and second in fatalities with 1,486 incidents and 398 deaths.

Need for improved road safety efforts
With increases in fatalities and injuries despite decreases in other indicators, the NRSA must collaborate with stakeholders to intensify safety measures.
The Greater Accra Region, though leading in crash numbers, showed a 19.8% drop in fatalities compared to 2023.
However, Ashanti Region recorded a significant 49.7% rise in deaths. Notably, although Greater Accra had more than double the crashes of the Eastern Region, the latter recorded a higher death rate, highlighting regional safety discrepancies.