A total of 20 corridors and intersections have been identified as high risk in terms of road crash fatalities in the capital, Accra.
Of the 10 corridors that accounted for 132 deaths from 2019 to 2021, the Apenkwa overhead to Dimples roundabout and the Akweteyman-Lapaz on the George Walker Bush Road (N1) topped the list with 21 deaths each.
The “Accra Road Safety Report 2021,” which was launched in Accra on Friday, revealed that the Airport Junction-North Dzorwulu intersection recorded 14 deaths, followed by the Abeka Junction-J.A Kufuor Avenue with nine deaths, and the Hansonic-Kaneshie First Light, eight.
For the 10 intersections, Opeibea intersection along the Liberation road; Lapaz and North Dzorwulu, both on the N1 and
Kawukudi, were ranked the riskiest with seven deaths each, while the fifth, the Hansonic Junction along Dr Busia Highway, recorded four deaths.
“These locations should inform priorities for road infrastructure maintenance, intersections design, interventions and enforcement operational planning,” the 50-pages annual report said.
Compiled to provide road crash information for context-specific interventions within Accra, the report was sponsored by the Bloomberg philanthropies initiative for global road safety.
The organisation worked in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), the Ghana Police Service, the National Road safety Authority and other institutions.
It findings showed that the number of reported road traffic crashes in Accra rose from 1,774 in 2020 to 1,808 in 2021, representing a two per cent increase.
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However, it said road traffic deaths declined from 136 in 2020 to 123 in 2021; representing a nine per cent decrease in death.
The AMA Chief Executive, Elizabeth Sackey, who launched the report, said although the city had recorded a slight decrease in deaths, stakeholders would not rest until our roads become safer for users.
She said they would rather double their efforts in various interventions to achieve a significant reduction to save lives and properties.
“Speeding still remains the main risk factor for severe road crashes globally and locally. Data from the report shows that overall speeding has increased from 50 per cent in 2021 to 51 per cent in 2022.
“Motorcycles topped the list of vehicles observed to be speeding over the posted limit. This could be attributed to high patronisation of motorcycles for private and commercial purposes,” Mrs Sackey said.
She urged all key road safety institutions, including the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, the National Road Safety Authority, Department of Urban Roads, and the Police MTTD, among others, to use this report effectively to guide interventions being undertaken
