By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, Feb. 27, GNA – A total of 427 road crashes were reported in the Volta Region from January to December 2023, compared to 369 within the same period in 2022, representing an increase of 15.7 per cent.
June recorded the highest of 47 crashes, followed by December with 44, while April recorded the least of 25 reported crashes.
There were 705 vehicles involved in crashes during the period with motorcycles contributing 37 per cent, private vehicles 33 per cent, and commercial vehicles 30 per cent.
Madam Joana Fafa Ayer, the Volta Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Ho, said a total of 127 lives perished in the crashes within the period under review as against 84 fatalities reported within same period in 2022, representing a 51.2 per cent increase.
Commercial vehicles contributed 50 per cent of the fatalities, motorcycles 37 per cent, while private vehicles amounted to 13 per cent.
She said September recorded the highest fatalities with 32 deaths while April recorded the least with one death.
Within the same period, the region recorded 431 injuries through the crashes, with December recording the highest of 68, while February recorded 19 injuries, being the least.
There was also 101 pedestrians knocked downs, out of which 33 were killed and 68 sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Madam Ayer attributed the increase in the crashes to non-adherence to the road safety protocols by both drivers and pedestrians.
She said her outfit would keep up the awareness-raising efforts using all available channels to make sure that pedestrians and drivers followed the safety precautions to lessen the situation.
“We are poised to do more this year to change the narrative,” she said, and urged all stakeholders to join forces in protecting innocent lives on the road.
Madam Ayer urged the citizens to be cautious when utilising the roads and refrain from doing anything on the shoulders that could put their lives or the lives of others in danger.
GNA