By Albert Allotey
Accra, Nov. 7, GNA – The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has released the 2022 Accra Road Safety Report with a call on stakeholders to work hard to further reduce road crashes in Accra and Ghana at large.
The report was prepared in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety to help in implementing road safety interventions in Accra.
It indicated that road crashes and fatalities decreased in 2022 in Accra.
The statistics revealed that crashes dropped by 22 per cent from 1,808 in 2021 to 1,416 in 2022, while the reported deaths also decreased by 17 per cent from 123 in 2021 to 102 in 2022.
The report stated that vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists constituted most of the reported deaths in 2022 and showed that many of those who died were from crashes which occurred in the evening between 1800 hours and 2200 hours.
It also indicated that half of the reported deaths occurred from crashes on weekends, specifically, from Fridays to Sundays.
The report identified high-risk fatal crash locations as Avenor junction along J.A. Kufuor Avenue, Opeibea intersection along Liberation Road, Hansonic junction along Dr. Busia Highway, Lapaz intersection and North Dzorwulu intersection, both locations along George Walker Bush Highway.
Mrs Elizabeth Kwatsoe Sackey, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, who made the call stated that the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021 to 2030) outlined the target to reduce road deaths and injuries by at least 50 per cent.
“Therefore, these findings should be used by all stakeholders to inform strategies and interventions to save lives. It is critical that we at the forefront of governmental and non-governmental institutions prioritize our commitment and responsibility for reducing road traffic deaths and injuries,” she said.
She applauded all stakeholders whose efforts contributed towards the reduction of road crashes and fatalities in Accra.
“This achievement must propel us to work harder to further reduce the number of people who are killed on our roads; knowing that our collective efforts are yielding life-saving results. Your efforts may have saved the life of a breadwinner, a student, a colleague at work, a schoolmate or a relative,” she stated.
Mr Alexander Ayatah, Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), who read a statement on behalf of the Acting Director-General of the Authority said NRSA as a data led institution affirmed the importance of findings of the road traffic crash reports.
“This information is invaluable for prioritizing safety measures, such as traffic calming interventions or infrastructure upgrades in high-risk zones,” he stated.
He called on advocacy groups and non-governmental organisation to use the report to make a case for policy changes and increased investment in road safety initiatives, saying that; “The data can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and lobbying for improvements.”
“We have come a long way, but there is much work still to be done. Let us take this opportunity to reflect, discuss, and recommit ourselves to the cause of safer streets and a brighter future for Accra,” Mr Ayatah said.
GNA