A total of 197 people lost their lives while 1,870 others sustained injuries from 961 road crashes across the country, in January this year.
During the same period last year, 180 people met their untimely death while 1,171 people suffered various degrees of injuries from 1,071 road accidents.
The Programme Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu- Mensah, who disclosed these to the Ghanaian Times in Accra , said the accidents involved 315 motorcycle, 630 commercial vehicles and 728 private cars.
He stated that there was a reduction in road accidents but there was an increase in the deaths and injury cases, because the MTTD enforced traffic rules and embarked on sensitisation.
Supt Dr Sasu-Mensah said the major causes of road accidents were excessive speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and indiscipline by drivers.
He said, to further reduce carnage on the roads to ensure the safety of commuters, the MTTD would collaborate with stakeholders such as the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), to educate the public, and enforce the law to serve as a deterrent
“This year, we would intensify our education to the public with focus on excessive speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol,’ he added.
Supt Dr Sasu-Mensah said personnel of the MTTD had received special training in traffic management as part of the Ghana police transformation agenda to revamp the department’s activities.
He said a monitoring team had been set up to check the activities of the personnel.
Supt Dr Sasu-Mensah enjoined the personnel to uphold professionalism in and urged them to always wear prescribed uniforms of white top and blue black down with the “Combo’’ caps.
He advised drivers to respect sirens, refrain from talking on mobile phones while driving, and should wear seat belts, and warned that offenders would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI