Road traffic crashes killed 2,673 people in Ghana between January and November 2025, an 18.5 per cent rise, prompting renewed calls for safer driving in 2026.
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) said speeding, drink-driving, unlicensed driving and the use of unregistered vehicles remained the leading causes of crashes, underscoring the need for sustained enforcement and public education.
The call was made by Mr Henry Asomani, Deputy Director of Planning and Programmes at the NRSA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, during which he extended New Year greetings to Ghanaians and appealed for greater discipline on the roads.
He said the Authority, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and corporate partners, intensified enforcement and sensitisation activities during the 2025 Christmas festivities, combining routine police checks with direct engagement of drivers and passengers.
Mr Asomani explained that the exercises were not solely punitive, noting that motorists who committed no offences were also engaged to promote awareness.
He added that the NRSA visited lorry stations nationwide to educate drivers while vehicles were being loaded.
Mr Asomani highlighted partnerships with corporate bodies such as Zen Petroleum, which supported the installation of road safety billboards along major highways including the Kumasi-Tamale stretch, and Guinness Ghana, which partnered the Authority on drink-driving campaigns during the festive season.
According to the National Road Traffic Crash and Casualty Situation Statistics Report, 13,320 crashes were recorded during the period, involving 22,532 vehicles and resulting in 15,173 injuries. Of these, 47 per cent were minor, 36 per cent serious, and 17 per cent fatal, while 2,312 pedestrians were knocked down.
The data showed that 296 of those killed were below 18 years, while adults accounted for 2,377 deaths. Males constituted about 80 per cent of fatalities, with the Ashanti, Eastern and Greater Accra Regions recording the highest numbers of crashes, injuries and deaths.
Mr Asomani attributed part of the problem to road construction activities, which he said encouraged speeding as motorists attempted to make up for time lost in traffic, particularly on corridors linking the Western, Central and Northern parts of the country.
He said the NRSA was working with the Ghana Highway Authority and contractors to improve traffic flow, install clear signage and maintain alternative routes at construction sites.
Mr. Asomani reminded motorists that the maximum speed limit in Ghana is 100 kilometres per hour, while built-up areas are limited to 50 kilometres per hour, explaining that the limits allow drivers to stop safely for pedestrians and obstacles.
“It is better to be late than to be caught in late, and better to be patient than to be a patient at the hospital,” he said.
He appealed to all road users to be law-abiding and safety-conscious, wished Ghanaians safe journeys in 2026 and expressed hope for significant reductions in road traffic deaths.
