Nineteen people made up of two women and 17 men were killed while 171 sustained various degrees of injuries through motor accidents in the Winneba Municipality between January and December 18, 2019.

Around that same period in 2018, 25 people lost their lives with 276 getting injured in 92 motor accidents compared to 77 cases recorded this year, the Winneba District Motor Traffic Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service has revealed.

Superintendent Charles Obiri in charge of the Winneba District MTTD who disclosed this in an interview said 49 commercial, 53 private vehicles and 16 Motor Bikes were involved in the accident that occurred during the period against 62 commercial, 65 private and six motorbikes in the same period in 2018.

He indicated that 13 of the total accidents recorded in 2019 were fatal, 47 serious, and 17 were minor against 13 fatal, 55 serious and 24 were minor in 2018.

According to Supt. Obiri 20 pedestrians were knocked down by vehicles which claimed two lives in 2018 compared to 12 pedestrian knocked downs which also resulted in two deaths in 2019.  

He said described as “quite worrying” the continued upsurge of traffic accidents on the roads culminating in the loss of precious lives with some being maimed and properties running into millions of Cedis destroyed.

He gave the assurance that it will continue to check motorists on the roads and warned drivers to desist from negative activities such as drunk driving, over speeding, wrongful overtaking and driving without valid documents.

He cautioned motorists to stop abandoning vehicles at the shoulders of the Winneba Kasoa and Winneba Agona Swedru highways and at times in the middle of the road which led to carnages.

Supt Obiri further urged drivers to stop fatigue driving to avoid being arrested and prosecuted when caught.

Pedestrians must use appropriate pedestrian crossing available, be conscious to traffic on the road and not be absent-minded when using the road while minors must not be left unattended to while crossing the roads, he added.