Ashanti Region contributed 23% to road accidents fatality figures in 2021

The National Road Safety Authority has said Ashanti Region alone contributed 23 % to the National road fatality figures in 2021.

According to the Ashanti Regional boss for the Authority, Madam Simbiat Wiredu, the Region had the highest road accident fatality rate from January to December 2021.

Speaking on OTEC FM’s social program “Nyansapo” on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, Madam Wiredu said a total of 700 people were killed in the region during the period while 4000 people were injured in about 4000 cases that were recorded.

She disclosed that the accidents in the Region increased by 12.84 % in 2021 compared to the figures in 2020.

She attributed the increase in road crashes to the congested nature of cars in most parts of the region, adding that most of such cars are rickety in nature and should not be used on roads.

“Our investigations showed that fatigue, overloading, bad roads and speeding as the cardinal reasons for these accidents”. She told the programme’s host, Captain Koda.

Madam Simbiat Wiredu however warned that with the constant increase in vehicle population in the Region, more persons could be killed in road accidents annually.

Accident trends in Ghana

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department MTTD in a report said a total of 2,924 lives were lost through road carnage in 2021. The figure was a 12.9% increase in deaths compared to the previous year, which recorded 2,589 deaths.

Some 15,680 persons suffered injuries in 2021 from 15,972 accidents. There were 1,106 more accidents and an increase of 163 more injuries compared to 2020.