A total of 1,839 people have been killed and 12,678 persons injured from January to October this year due to road crashes.
This figure was as a result of 11,694 cases of road crashes reported under the year of review.
This was disclosed at the 2023 road safety Christmas Campaign launch on the theme, 'Stop Speeding, Stay Alive,' organised by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) towards ensuring safety on our roads during this year's Christmas season.
The Acting Director General, NSRA, Mr David Osafo Adonteng, said per experience, the festive season of Christmas into the New Year was characterised by increased volumes of vehicles and people on the road space travelling in different modes for various purposes, therefore the need to educate the public.
"Last year, 2022, during Christmas from December 24 to 26, we recorded 142 crashes, 215 injuries, and 25 deaths, in 2021, the same period, we recorded 133 crashes, 148 injuries, and 28 deaths," he said.
According to him, the road space was populated during the festive seasons with numbers of vehicles and people, most of whom conducted themselves recklessly, placing the lives of other road users at risk, adding, "There is a high tendency of road users, especially drivers and riders, ignoring all road traffic rules and culminating into acts of moving people in haste to get to their destinations quickly without due care."
Mr Adonteng said high travel speeds, overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs substances, loading vehicles beyond the requisite capacity, among others, were some of the causes of road accident.
"Christmas is a time to relax, recharge, and take a well-deserved break from a challenging year, the sad thing in all this is that most of us do not come back to school and work alive.
Unfortunately, we get killed or injured in various degrees either by our own deeds or behaviours or by others," he said.
He warned road users not to exhibit lawlessness, or engage in conducts that might cause accidents and also undermine the rights of other road users.
"The increased levels of traffic on the road demand higher levels of vigilance from all road-users, especially drivers, motorcycle riders, and pedestrians," he said.
He expressed worry about excessive speeding which was the most prevalent contributory factor to road crashes, contributing to over 60 per cent of all fatal crashes in Ghana.
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"It is with great concern that we witness the devastating consequences of speeding on our roads, causing countless crashes, injuries, and fatalities, We must think of road safety at all times and think safety requires that we must obey all road traffic rules and regulations," he said.
Mr Adonteng said the Authority had stepped up education at lorry terminals, engaging the leadership of transport operators and drivers, churches and other organisations to create awareness on road safety to help address road crashes.
He commended the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service for installing their automated enforcement operations known as Traffitech-GH (PIEAW) to electronically detect and apprehend those who would, flout speed, and red lights regulations.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr GodfredAbulbire, said his outfit would continue to engage drivers on the need to avoid reckless driving to save lives.
