With the exception of one, all indicators of road traffic crashes have recorded reductions ranging from 0.65 to 23.63% in the first four months of this year 2020 compared to the same period last year.
This is attributable to the COVID-19 restrictions, including the three-week lockdown of Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi in Ashanti Region and Kasoa in the Central Region between March and April this year.
Restrictions on social and public gatherings, as well as urging people to stay home if they do not have anything doing in town, led to a drastic reduction in the movement of vehicles, thereby reducing accidents.
738 killed in first 4 months this year
Data compiled by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service indicates that the number of persons killed recorded a 13.07% reduction from 849 in the first four months of last year to 738 during the same period this year.
Regional breakdown of deaths
The regional breakdown of deaths is Ashanti 127, Central 103, Eastern 101, Accra 75, Bono East 74, Tema 45, Western 37, Volta 37, Northern 25, Western North 24, Bono 22, Ahafo 17, Upper East 15, Upper West 13, Oti 12, Savanna nine, and North East two.
In January 2020, the number of commuters who died through road traffic crashes witnessed a 10.5% jump to 222 compared to the 201 killed in January 2019.
Similarly, the number killed dropped from 210 in February 2019 to 171 in February 2020, representing an 18.60% drop.
29.10% decline in March deaths
The number of commuters killed in March 2020 slumped by 29.10% to 202 compared with the 285 killed in March 2019.
A 6.5% decline in the number of commuters killed was recorded in April 2020 as the figure dropped to 143 from the 153 in 2019.
The number of pedestrian knockdowns dropped by 23.63% from 1,270 in 2019 to 769 this year.
203 Pedestrians killed this year
Out of the 738 killed in the first four months of this year, 203 were pedestrians compared to the 263 killed in 2019.
Similarly, the number of persons injured also recorded a 0.65% reduction from 4,640 last year to 4,670 in the same period this year.
Shockingly, motorcycle crashes jumped by 14.27% from 1,444 in 2019 to 1,650 in the first four months of 2020.
The statistics revealed that motorcycle accidents killed 284 people and injured 1,364.
1.04% reduction in vehicles involved in crashes
The data showed that the total number of vehicles involved in crashes reduced from 7,404 last year to 7,327 this year, representing a 1.04% reduction.
Accidents involving private vehicles killed 153 commuters and injured 1,029 in the first four months of this year.
Road traffic crashes involving private vehicles dropped by 7.96% from 3,229 in 2019 to 2,972.
The statistics showed that commercial vehicles killed 301 while injuring 2,277 commuters.
0.89% drop in commercial vehicles involved in crashes
The total number of commercial vehicles involved in crashes dipped slightly by 0.89% from 2,729 last year to 2,705.
The total number of crashes reported dropped by 2.51% from 4,498 in 2019 to 4,385 this year.