Chief Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director of Education, Research and Training at the Police MTTD, has sounded the alarm over Ghana’s worsening road safety situation, revealing troubling statistics as the country approaches the festive season.
He disclosed that from January to November this year, the country recorded 13,000 road crashes, a figure he described as both “perplexing” and deeply concerning.
The incidents involved more than 22,000 vehicles, including private cars, commercial vehicles, and motorcycles. He noted that motorcycle-related crashes continue to dominate, contributing heavily to the most severe injuries and fatalities.
Chief Supt. Obeng added that within the same period, 13,000 people sustained injuries, many of them serious, placing significant emotional and financial strain on families and increasing pressure on the national healthcare system.
Even more distressing, he revealed that 2,600 people have died in road accidents this year alone. Of these, 1,937 were males, while about 492 were females, underscoring the disproportionate impact on men, particularly young adults.
Pedestrians remain highly vulnerable as well. According to him, 550 pedestrians lost their lives while walking on or attempting to cross the road, with many of these deaths linked to motorcycle crashes.
With the Christmas season—traditionally one of the most dangerous times on Ghana’s roads—fast approaching, Chief Supt. Obeng warned that the risks are likely to escalate if urgent measures are not taken.
“The national road safety problem in Ghana calls for all hands on deck,” he stressed, cautioning that the continual rise in road crashes shows that current interventions are insufficient.
