Provisional national road traffic data for 2025 from Ghana’s National Road Safety Authority has painted a grim picture of public safety, revealing an 18.2% surge in fatalities compared to the previous year.
Between January and December 2025, 2,949 people lost their lives on the country’s roads, a significant jump from the 2,494 deaths recorded in 2024.
The data confirms that nearly every key indicator of road safety worsened over the 12-month period. Beyond the loss of life, 16,714 people were injured in traffic incidents, marking a 7.1% increase from the previous year.
The year ended on a particularly violent note, with December 2025 recording the highest number of crashes (1,423), injuries (1,541), and deaths (276) for any single month.
Compared to December 2024, total reported cases for the month jumped by 32.7%, while pedestrian knockdowns saw a sharp 33.9% increase.
Regional disparities were stark during the holiday month:
Greater Accra experienced a massive 91.6% increase in crashes compared to December 2024.
Volta Region saw injuries double, rising by 102.86%.
Conversely, the Oti Region recorded the most significant improvement, with an 87.5% decrease in reported crashes.
Analysis of Crash Severity
Authorities categorize road traffic crashes based on their severity:
Fatal Crashes: Defined as incidents resulting in at least one death within 30 days. These accounted for 17% (2,471 cases) of all incidents in 2025.
Serious Crashes: Those requiring at least 24 hours of hospitalization. These made up 37% (5,411 cases) of the total.
Minor Crashes: Accounting for 46% (6,861 cases), these involved injuries requiring less than 24 hours of medical care or no injury at all.
Vulnerable Demographics: Men and Adults at Highest Risk
The report highlights a persistent and troubling gender and age gap in road fatalities:
Gender: Men continue to be the primary victims of road crashes. Of the 2,949 people killed, 2,352 (80%) were male, while 597 (20%) were female. This represents a ratio of 4:1, meaning that for every female killed, four males lose their lives.
Age: Adults (18 years and above) accounted for 89% of all fatalities. The data reveal a 7:1 death ratio between adults and children (under 18), likely due to the higher exposure adults have to traffic environments.
Vehicle Trends: Private Cars Lead, Motorcycles Surge
Private vehicles were involved in the highest proportion of crashes in 2025, accounting for 40.4% (10,087 vehicles) of the total. Commercial vehicles followed at 33.3%.
However, the most alarming growth was seen in the motorcycle category. Motorcycle involvement in crashes increased by 19.4% compared to 2024. While they represent only 26.3% of vehicles involved in crashes, authorities noted the frequency is “alarming” relative to their total population on the road.
Within this category, two-wheeled motorbikes were responsible for 72% of cycle-related crashes, while tricycles accounted for 25%.
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