Over 6000 Road Accidents in First Half of this Year Alone!

The first half of this year has so far claimed the lives of 1,033 persons in 6,839 road accidents in the country.

The figures represent an average of 172 deaths and 1,139 accidents monthly.

It translates into five people losing their lives in 37 road traffic accidents daily.

However, the number of accidents recorded nationwide in the first half of the year shows a significant reduction in road traffic accidents compared to last year in which 1,144 persons were killed in 7,172 accidents within the same period.

According to data released by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service, Accra Region recorded the highest number of accidents with 2,481 accidents and 140 deaths.

The Upper East Region recorded the lowest road accident cases with 71 accidents and 32 deaths in the first half of this year.

The rest are: Tema 859 cases, 42 deaths; Eastern Region 779 cases, 125 deaths; Central Region 611 cases, 155 deaths; Western Region 472 cases, 49 deaths; Ashanti Region 622 cases, 135 deaths; Volta 383, deaths 61; Northern 107, deaths 72; Upper West 121, deaths 42; and Brong Ahafo 332 cases, 143 deaths.

The data also indicated that 1,316 pedestrian knock-downs were recorded nationwide compared to 1,341 in 2012.

In respect of injuries, 6,463 persons were injured in the first half of this year as compared to 6,965  last year, the data indicated.

The Head of Education of the MTTD, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Alexander Kweku Obeng, told the Daily Graphic that there had been a reduction in road accidents and deaths in the country.

He said this could be attributed to the sensitisation programmes by the department and its stakeholders, including the National Road Safety Commission.

“Gradually, we are getting to the United Nations target of reducing road fatalities by 50 per cent by the year 2020,” he said.

He reaffirmed that most of the accidents on the road were human errors which could have been avoided if drivers complied with the road traffic rules and regulations.