The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has recorded 10,157 road crashes involving 17,197 vehicles across Ghana’s 25 police regions between January and September 2026.
The crashes resulted in 12,230 injuries and 2,151 deaths, highlighting the continuing impact of road user behaviour on road safety.
ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, disclosed that the figures cover crashes reported to the police during the nine-month period. He noted that police investigators responded to assist people trapped in “these preventable crashes”.
According to ACP Obeng, the latest figures represent a history of “significant historic reductions” in road crashes and fatalities. However, he stressed that the loss of 2,151 lives within nine months is a serious road safety challenge requiring stronger preventive action.
The MTTD’s analysis points to four broad factors behind road crashes, namely the road, the vehicle, the environment and the human road user. Data gathered since 1991, however, indicates that, “about 96% of the crashes are attributable to the road user.”
Speeding has emerged as a particularly significant contributor to fatalities, accounting for about 62% of deaths linked to road crashes. ACP Obeng therefore stressed the need for drivers to exercise greater discipline when using Ghana’s roads.
“This is the road safety problem that confronts us, for which we are looking for ways and means to reduce it. That has led, all these years, to the police being mandated under the law to deploy physically, whatever the logistics we have.”
ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng
The traditional approach to traffic enforcement includes manual policing, including stopping vehicles, impounding them, taking drivers to police stations, conducting investigations and proceeding with court processes. This system, he noted, has struggled to produce the level of compliance required to substantially reduce road deaths.
The Director of Education, Research and Training further linked Ghana’s road safety strategy to the global shift towards safer road users, safer vehicles, safer roads and stronger enforcement. He indicated that the country’s National Road Safety Strategy has consequently placed increasing emphasis on digital tools to complement conventional policing.
ACP Obeng also stressed that reducing fatalities requires road users to recognise that many crashes can be avoided through responsible behaviour. He urged drivers to treat speed limits and other road traffic regulations as essential safety measures rather than optional requirements.
MTTD Deploys Cameras To Tackle Speeding On Ghana’s Roads
The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) has intensified the deployment of cameras and speed sensors to tackle speeding on Ghana’s roads as part of a wider shift towards automated traffic enforcement.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the department’s ability to identify dangerous driving behaviour without relying entirely on conventional roadside policing.
ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director of Education, Research and Training at the MTTD, explained that the technology has been developed over several years to support enforcement and improve compliance. He noted that the system is designed “to detect a range of road traffic offences, with speeding serving as the initial focus.”
The move is backed by the Road Traffic Regulations 2026, L.I. 2519, particularly Regulation 242, which provides for automated detection and enforcement of road traffic offences through specialised police cameras and software applications. ACP Obeng indicated that the technology can identify at least 49 offences and unsafe driving behaviours.
According to the MTTD director, some speed sensors have been mounted on tripods while others have been installed in vehicles. Unmarked smart vehicles fitted with the equipment are being used to monitor major road corridors where speeding has been identified as a recurring problem.
ACP Obeng explained that the system is supported by back offices, computers, specialised software and trained personnel who process evidence generated by the devices. Drivers detected committing offences are expected to receive tickets supported by evidence, including video footage.
“When the driver sees that what he is doing is wrong, wrongness becomes an advocate to ensure safety on our roads.”
ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng
The department began intensifying public sensitisation before the full enforcement phase, with electronic caution notices used to alert drivers about speeding violations. ACP Obeng said the approach was to encourage compliance while preparing motorists for the transition to automated enforcement.
Initial results recorded after the intensified sensitisation from September 10 showed a 9.48% reduction in crashes and a 12.19% decline in vehicles involved in crashes. Motorcycle crashes also fell by 7.14%, injuries dropped by 15% and deaths declined by 7.82% during the period under review.
The Director of Education, Research and Training attributed the improvement partly to the presence of the sensors and electronic notices, which he said has encouraged drivers to become more cautious. The MTTD is preparing for the full rollout of the automated enforcement platform, with November 1 identified as the target date for going live.
READ ALSO: Avatime to Launch AMUFEST 2026 at Accra Holiday Inn
