Over 900 People Killed in Ghana Road Crashes Between January and August 2026

• Ghana's Motor Traffic and Transport Department recorded roughly 9,000 road crashes in the first eight months of 2026
• Approximately 15,000 vehicles were involved in the incidents, leaving around 11,000 people with injuries of varying degrees
• MTTD's ACP Alexander Obeng said the majority of the crashes were preventable and called for urgent road safety action

More than 900 people have lost their lives in road crashes across Ghana in the first eight months of 2026, with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) describing the toll as a preventable crisis demanding immediate attention.

Figures presented by the MTTD covering January to August 2026 show approximately 9,000 crashes involving around 15,000 vehicles of various categories.

Close to 11,000 people sustained injuries during the period.

ACP Alexander Obeng, Director of Research, Education and Training at the MTTD, outlined the scale of the problem during an appearance on Channel One TV on Monday, 28 September 2026.

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"Between January and August, we can report that we have recorded about 9,000 preventable crashes involving about 15,000 vehicles of all categories and models, with about 11,000 Ghanaians having sustained various degrees of injury as a result of these preventable crashes," he said.

The use of the word "preventable" was deliberate. ACP Obeng stressed that the majority of these incidents did not have to happen, and that a change in behaviour among all road users remains critical to reducing future casualties.

MTTD Calls for Combined Approach to Road Safety

ACP Obeng said addressing Ghana's road safety situation requires action on two fronts: proactive measures to prevent crashes before they occur, and reactive interventions designed to limit harm when crashes do happen.

He identified sustained road safety education as a key component of any long-term solution, alongside targeted enforcement to protect motorists, passengers and pedestrians alike.

The figures place renewed pressure on road safety authorities and policymakers to accelerate efforts ahead of the final quarter of the year, a period historically associated with higher traffic volumes due to festive travel.

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Police announce new digital traffic enforcement

YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Police Service will deploy a digital traffic enforcement platform called Traffitech on October 1, 2026, as part of a drive to automate road traffic law enforcement and reduce corruption within the system.

The announcement was made at a national sensitisation programme on the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2025 (Act 1153) and the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519).

Source: YEN.com.gh