Ghana Police Report Reveals Surge in Road Crashes and Fatalities
A recent report released by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service has highlighted concerning trends in road safety for the month of July 2023.
The report indicates a notable 4.31 percent increase in road crashes compared to the same period last year. Even more alarming, fatalities resulting from these crashes escalated by a staggering 30.07 percent.
The report documented a total of 1,233 crashes involving 2,099 vehicles, resulting in 186 deaths and 1,328 injuries for July 2023.
Comparatively, July 2022 witnessed 1,182 crashes with 1,991 vehicles, causing 143 deaths and injuring 1,221 individuals.
This rise in road incidents was further reflected in the percentages of reported crashes, vehicles involved, persons killed, and persons injured, which all exhibited increases of 4.31%, 5.42%, 30.07%, and 8.76% respectively.
Interestingly, pedestrian knockdowns exhibited a slight reduction from 224 to 213 in July 2023 compared to the previous year. However, the overall trend from January to July 2023 shows a concerning picture, with a total of 8,137 road traffic crashes reported, involving 13,862 vehicles and resulting in 1,272 fatalities and 9,135 injuries.
Delving into the monthly data, the report highlighted that 54% (670) of the reported crashes in July 2023 were categorized as minor, while 33% (405) were considered severe, and the remaining 13% (158) were classified as fatal crashes.
Furthermore, the analysis showcased a nuanced regional pattern. Nine out of the sixteen regions witnessed an increase in crashes, with Upper East, Ahafo, Upper West, Volta, Central, Eastern, Bono, Western North, and Ashanti regions experiencing varying degrees of upswings. Particularly noteworthy were the increases of 300%, 180%, 150%, and 122.2% in the Upper East, Ahafo, Upper West, and Volta regions respectively.
The comprehensive report underscored an overarching surge in road crashes and fatalities during July 2023. Despite some variations in pedestrian knockdowns and other indicators, the general trend pointed towards increased road safety challenges during this period.
