Ghana recorded 2,949 deaths from road traffic accidents in 2025, the highest fatality figure in 35 years, according to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA).
This brings the cumulative number of road traffic deaths in the country to 63,599 since 1991.
The latest road traffic crash (RTC) statistics released by the authority show a troubling increase in crashes nationwide, despite ongoing road safety campaigns and enforcement efforts by state institutions.
Of the total deaths recorded in 2025, 2,352 were males, representing 80 per cent, while 597 were females, accounting for 20 per cent. This means that for every four males killed in road crashes, one female lost her life.
The Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the NRSA, Alexander Ayatah, attributed the spike in all road crash indicators to the authority’s limited operations in the previous year.
The statistics show that the fatalities occurred from 14,743 road traffic crashes, which also resulted in 16,714 injuries. In total, 24,938 vehicles — including private vehicles, commercial vehicles and motorbikes — were involved.
Compared with 2024, all key indicators for 2025 — crashes, injuries and deaths — recorded significant increases. Road traffic deaths rose by 18.2 per cent from 2,494 in 2024, the highest increase among all indicators.
Reported crash cases increased by 9.3 per cent from 13,489 in 2024, while the number of vehicles involved rose by 8.5 per cent. Injuries also increased by 7.1 per cent from 15,607, with pedestrian knockdowns rising by seven per cent to 2,561.
Age-disaggregated data showed that 328 of those killed, representing 11 per cent, were children below 18 years, while 2,621 victims, or 89 per cent, were adults.
This means that for every seven adults killed in road crashes, one child also died, indicating a higher fatality ratio among adults during the period.
In terms of vehicle categories, private vehicles accounted for 10,087 crashes, representing 41 per cent of the total. Commercial vehicles followed with 8,303 crashes (33 per cent), while motorcycles accounted for 6,548 crashes (26 per cent).
Compared with 2024, crashes involving commercial vehicles, private vehicles and motorbikes increased by 6.4 per cent, 4.1 per cent and 19.4 per cent respectively.
Further analysis showed that two-wheeled motorcycles accounted for 72 per cent of all cycles involved in crashes, while tricycles made up 25 per cent. Bicycles and handcarts accounted for two per cent and one per cent, respectively.
Regionally, the Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of crashes, with 4,533 cases, but ranked third in fatalities, with 420 deaths. The Ashanti Region recorded 4,430 crashes and the highest number of deaths at 692, while the Eastern Region recorded 2,195 crashes and 649 deaths.
Compared with 2024, deaths increased by 33.5 per cent in the Eastern Region and 10.5 per cent in the Ashanti Region, while Greater Accra recorded a 10.2 per cent increase.
Although Greater Accra recorded more than twice the number of crashes recorded in the Eastern Region, the Eastern Region recorded a higher fatality rate. For every 100 crashes, the Eastern Region recorded 28 deaths, compared to 10 deaths in Greater Accra.
Based on these trends, the NRSA identified the Ashanti, Eastern and Greater Accra regions as the most critical in terms of crashes, injuries and deaths.
“The NRSA did not have resources last year to embark on road safety campaigns, so some of our regional offices were virtually closed down.
The policymakers need to attach more importance to issues of road safety.
“Almost 3,000 people were killed in one year on our roads, and these are even reported cases; many cases are unreported.
“If we do not do anything about funding the NRSA this year, the figures will get worse,” the Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the authority said.
Ayatah further warned that the legalisation of motorcycles for commercial use could significantly worsen the situation if strict enforcement and regulation were not prioritised.
