The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has announced a 5.7% reduction in road crashes between January and October 2024 compared to the same period last year.
However, despite the overall decrease in crash incidents, the authority expressed concerns over an increase in fatalities and injuries, underscoring the need for further improvements in road safety.
According to Pearl Adusu Sateckla, Public Relations Officer of the NRSA, there were 11,127 reported crash cases between January and October 2024, a decrease from the 11,721 cases recorded during the same period in 2023. Additionally, the number of vehicles involved in crashes decreased by 5.23%, from 19,920 in 2023 to 18,879 in 2024.
Despite these improvements, Sateckla highlighted that fatalities and injuries have risen, a trend that remains a major concern for the NRSA. “Our objective is to reduce road crashes along with their resultant fatalities and injuries. However, by October, we had seen an increase in fatalities, which is a worry for us and our collaborators,” she stated. “We would have wished that the deaths and injuries were reduced because they affect human lives directly.”
As the festive season approaches, the NRSA, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Ghana Police Service, and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), has launched “Operation Comply.” The initiative focuses on raising awareness and enforcing road safety regulations to minimize accidents. The campaign uses cameras placed along key stretches to monitor speed limits. Motorists exceeding the limit will be recorded, but instead of immediate prosecution, the authorities will educate drivers about compliance, emphasizing road safety.
Sateckla also cautioned drivers to avoid speeding, particularly during the holiday season, which often sees increased travel. “Over-speeding is a very, very bad attitude of drivers in our country,” she said. “We urge drivers to comply with speed limits, avoid wrongful overtaking, and be cautious on the road.” She added that wrongful overtaking, which can lead to head-on collisions, contributes significantly to fatalities and injuries.
The NRSA’s focus on education and enforcement aims to reduce the number of road crashes, fatalities, and injuries, particularly as the country enters the busy festive season.
