The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has raised concerns over the increasing number of road related deaths and injuries in the country, calling for urgent action by all road users to reverse the trend.

Ms Fafa Ayer, the Volta Regional Director of the authority, said road traffic crashes remained a major public safety concern, with recent statistics revealing a worrying surge in fatalities, injuries, and pedestrian knockdowns within the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

"One single death is far too many," Ms Ayer emphasised, as she outlined the grim figures.

A total of 253 road traffic cases were reported in the first half of 2025, compared to 239 cases in the same period last year, an increase of 14. Similarly, the number of vehicles involved in crashes rose from 388 to 424.

Casualties also worsened, with 273 persons injured in the first six months of 2025, up from 173 in the previous year.

Pedestrian knockdowns increased from 40 to 67, and road traffic-related deaths jumped from 40 in 2024 to 61 in 2025, marking an alarming rise of 21 fatalities.

Ms Ayer attributed over 90% of these incidents to human factors, including fatigue, indiscipline, and disregard for road regulations.

She indicated that speeding remained one of the key contributors to these accidents.

"A tired driver who still chooses to drive becomes highly prone to making dangerous errors on the road. Such negligence can involve and endanger the lives of many other road users," she cautioned.

She reminded drivers of legal guidelines, stressing that drivers were required to take a rest after every four hours of continuous driving to reduce fatigue related errors.

"Less speed will mean less impact in case of a crash, but the greater the speed, the greater the impact," she explained.

Ms Ayer reiterated that road safety was a shared and collective responsibility, urging all stakeholders, drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and law enforcement agencies to commit to safer road behaviour.

"We must obey traffic rules and regulations, adhere to speed limits, take necessary rests, and avoid actions that put our lives or those of others at risk. This is the only way to curb the rising fatalities on our roads," she admonished.

The National Road Safety Authority continues to intensify its education and enforcement campaigns across the country, calling on every citizen to play their part in ensuring that Ghana's roads are safe for all.