The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service said 2,096 lives were lost through motor accidents and 12,655 persons were injured nationwide in 2013.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Sasu-Mensah, Staff Officer to the Director General of the MTTU, said comparatively, in 2012, the number of those who lost their lives and those who were injured through road accidents were 2,249 and 14,181 respectively.

He said according to their preliminary reports for year 2013; 1,558 males were killed through road accidents of which 195 were below 18 years, while 538 females lost the lives in which 163 were below 18 years.

DSP Sasu-Mensah said the regional distribution of the dead in 2013 include Accra,- 315, Tema - 101 , Eastern - 221, Central - 287, Western - 170, Ashanti - 282, Volta - 127, Northern - 167, Upper West - 75, Upper East - 61, and Brong Ahafo - 252.

He said the statistics for the injured were Accra – 2,700, Tema - 621, Eastern – 2,663, Central – 1,496, Western - 917, Ashanti – 1,495, Volta - 824, Northern - 668, Upper West - 308, Upper East - 74, and Brong Ahafo - 889.

Some 2,642 pedestrians were knocked down in 2013 of which the regional distribution were Accra – 1, 139, Tema - 129, Eastern - 345, Central - 244, Western - 114, Ashanti - 273, Volta - 184, Northern - 39, Upper West - 30, Upper East - 26, and Brong Ahafo - 119.

Within the period, 14, 390 accident cases were reported with Accra topping the list with 5,410 cases, followed by Tema – 1, 827, Eastern – 1, 537, Ashanti – 1, 400, Central - 1, 162, Western – 938, Volta – 783, Brong Ahafo – 716, Northern – 247, Upper West 235, and Upper East – 135.

DSP Sasu-Mensah said the total number of vehicles involved in the accidents were 22, 208, comprising 10, 279 commercial vehicles, 9, 359 private vehicles and 2, 570 motor bikes.

He said the number of fatal, serious and minor accidents in 2013 stood at 1, 645; 4, 100 and 8, 645 respectively.

He said in 2012 14, 914 accident cases were recorded involving 21, 817 vehicles and motor bikes, which was made of 1, 790 fatal, 4, 224 serious and 8, 900 minor accidents.

He said about 93 per cent of road accidents were attributed to the human factor which include fatigue driving, drunk driving, wrong overtaking, careless driving, speaking on the phone while driving, among others.

He said this year the government would be equipping the MTTU with modern sophisticated devices such as the speed radar gun.

DSP Sasu-Mensah said the government would soon give them the go ahead to start operating the on the spot fines after consultations with stakeholders.

He warned “Okada” operators that the MTTU would enforce Legislative Instrument 21/80 which bars their operations in the country.