174 lives lost in January 2024 through road crashes – NRSA

Data presented by the National Road Safety Authority indicates that a total of 174 people died in January 2024.

A total of 1,142 road traffic crashes were reported in January 2024. These crashes involved 1,991 vehicles of all categories (private, commercial, motorcycles/cycles, etc.) and 1,504 casualties (174 fatalities/deaths and 1,330 injuries).

In January, 55% (631) of the crashes were minor, 33% (375) were serious crashes, and 12% (136) were fatal crashes out of the 1,142 crashes reported.

A total of 16 (9%) persons killed were below 18 years old, while 158 (91%) were reported to have been adults (above) 18 years old in January.

This indicates that for every ten (10) adults (above 18 years) killed, a child (below 18 years) is killed, revealing a relatively high road traffic death ratio (10:1) for adults than for children within the period. This is partly due to the high risk of exposure of adults to traffic incidents as compared to children.

Per the data, private vehicles constituted the largest proportion of vehicles involved in crashes in January 2024, representing 45.3%, followed by commercial vehicles with 32.9% and motorcycles with the least proportion of 21.9%. Only commercial vehicles recorded an increase in the numbers involved in crashes in 2024 as compared to 2023 by 13.3%.

Private vehicle and motorcycle crash involvement decreased by 7.1% and 1.4%, respectively, in 2024 when compared to 2023.

In January 2024, motorcycles (only 2-wheelers) constituted 74% (324) of crashes involving all cycles, while tricycles (3-wheelers) contributed 23% (101), followed by bicycles and handcarts constituting 2% (7) and 1% (3), respectively.

Analysis of categories of vehicles involved in crashes shows that motorcycles (two or three-wheelers) constituted the least (22%) of all vehicles involved.

This notwithstanding, the share of motorbike/motorcycle crashes is alarming, taking into consideration the population of motorcycles (two/three-wheelers) in the total vehicle population.

Greater Accra Region contributed the most to crashes and came third in fatalities with 393
crashes and 29 deaths, respectively.

This was followed by Ashanti Region, with 311 crashes and 39 deaths, with the highest fatalities recorded and the Eastern Region came in third in the number of crashes with 156 crashes and second in deaths with 35 deaths.