1,250 people killed in road accidents in five months; eight lives daily

On June 8, 2021, 11:09 AM

Road traffic fatalities seem to be on the growth, with 1,250 lives lost for the first five months of 2021.

This represents a 26.32% increase over the same period in 2020, with the trend suggesting a record high annual figure by the end of 2021.

Persons who survived the crashes but sustained various injuries for the period were 1, 309, a rise of 26.72%.

This means eight lives perish on the country’s roads daily.

After pushing the annual road fatalities to the highest in the last 30 years in 2020, motorcycle accidents contributed to 538 road fatalities over the period.

The trend has compelled the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to intensify efforts to address road accidents with daily inspection of vehicles at bus terminals.

Inter-city vehicles contributed the highest number of accidents hence the focus on tackling safety

A team is dispatched to various bus terminals to conduct a thorough assessment of vehicles and drivers before any journey.

The poor condition of vehicles, lack of maintenance, driver fatigue and disregard for safety measures are some causes of accident which the NRSA seeks to address.

Greater Accra, Ashanti, and the Eastern Regions dominate road fatalities due to the dense population and many vehicles.

Airport, Adenta and Odorkor dominated the Top 10 accident-prone areas in Accra for 2020.

Accidents have claimed the lives of 52,407 since 1991.

Impact of accidents

WHO estimated that road traffic crashes cost most countries 3% of their gross domestic product.

Approximately 1.35 million people die each year across the world as a result of road traffic crashes.

On average, 93% of the world’s fatalities on the roads occur in low- and middle-income countries, even though these countries have approximately 60% of the world’s vehicles.

WHO indicated road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years.

This group forms the active economic group of the population, which affects their families and the manpower of the nation.

Some major accidents in 2021

A road crash in February killed 17 passengers and injured 44 others early Wednesday, February 3.

A police statement said the accident occurred when two passenger buses travelling opposite directions collided head-on at a town near Buipe, a community along the Kumasi-Tamale highway.

Sixteen persons died on the spot, while one more died at a hospital where the injured were receiving treatment.

The deceased included 12 males, five females, and one child.

The accident involved two buses with registration numbers GT 3345-16 and AC 1699-20.

They were travelling from Kumasi to Zebila and from Garu to Kumasi, respectively, when they ran into each other.

Nineteen people were reported dead within 12 hours after two bloody road accidents at separate locations.

Three fatalities were recorded in the Central Region and 16 in the Eastern Region on Friday, February 26, 2021.

Joy FM’s Alfred Amoh reported that a truck conveying mourners from Assin Nyankomase to Assin Misrenyame veered off the Assin Nyankomase-Assin Senchiem main road and somersaulted several times.

Three passengers died on the spot, and several others sustained serious injuries, including the driver.

Earlier on the same day, at about 1 am, a head-on collision claimed 16 lives at Akim Asafo on the Accra-Kumasi Highway.

The accident involved two Kia Grandbird buses with registration numbers GT 5629-19 and GE 5510-15, one of which was a VIP bus.

According to reports, the people who died included the driver and mate of the VIP bus.

A total of 13 males and three females lost their lives.

Three persons got burnt to death when the Mercedez Benz saloon vehicle they were travelling with was involved in an accident on the Spintex road in Accra.

However, one passenger from the Benz was rescued and currently in critical condition at the LEKMA Hospital.

The driver of the Mercedez Benz vehicle reportedly ignored warning signals of an earlier accident on the road and run into a 20 footer container that had fallen onto the road.

Police personnel were present at the scene directing traffic. They were supervising the removal of the container from the road when the second accident occurred and resulted in the death of the three persons.

The accident happened on Saturday, March 20, 2021.

Five people died on the spot after an accident at Obretema in the Suhum Municipality involving a Mercedes Sprinter Bus.

They were travelling to Accra from Kumasi on the bus with registration number GW 7444 – 21 when the crash occurred at about 2:30 pm on Sunday, April 12.

According to the police, one of the car tyres burst, causing the driver, 35-year-old Eric Ohemang, to lose control.

Twelve people perished, while seven others sustained serious injuries after an accident on the Buipe-Tamale highway.

Eleven died on the spot, including an eight-year-old girl at Alipe in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.

A Toyota minibus with registration number AS 2872-20 veered off its lane and collided head-on with a DAF tipper truck with registration number NR 578 loaded with sand.

There were 18 persons on board travelling from Tamale to Kumasi.

The driver of the minibus was one of the people who died on the spot.

The crash occurred on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, at around 7:30 pm.

Two people died in a car crash on the Circle-Achimota Highway close to the Tesano police station.

The accident occurred after a commercial vehicle (trotro) rammed into a faulty trailer parked in the middle of the road at about 4:30 am on Wednesday, April 14.

According to eyewitnesses, the trailer driver failed to place any sign indicating that his vehicle had broken down.

The trotro driver, on top speed, could not see the stationary truck, which carried a number plate supposedly issued in the Republic of Togo, resulting in the crash.

The driver of the trotro and another occupant are reported dead.

Personnel from the Ghana police and the Ambulance Service were at the scene to rescue trapped occupants from the vehicle.

Three Pedestrians Killed In Car Racing Near Burma Camp

Three innocent persons died while three others battled for their lives after being knocked down by a car engaged in a racing competition at the 37 Lorry Station area in Accra. It was a Toyota Camry Salon car with registration number GR- 1708 -21 driving from the direction of the Accra Trade Fair and heading towards the 37 Roundabout, which lost control and crashed.

Together with a Mercedes Benz saloon car, the drivers defied road regulation and engaged in a competition within the high-security military zone where the Burma Camp is also located.

The incident occurred at about 8:30 PM on Wednesday, April 14, the same day two persons lost their lives in an accident at Tesano in Accra, making it 17 deaths within two days.