Motorcycles, despite having the lowest occupancy among the major categories of vehicles on Ghana’s roads, accounted for an alarming 829 of the 1,703 road deaths recorded between January and July 2026, representing 48.68% of all fatalities.
The motorcycle fatality figure was more than the combined contribution of neither category individually, with commercial vehicles accounting for 534 deaths, or 31.36%, and private vehicles recording 340 deaths, representing 19.96%.
The figures point to a disproportionate fatality burden associated with motorcycles, with the vehicle category recording the highest number of deaths despite its relatively low occupancy.
The data compiled by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service and analysed by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) showed that motorcycle fatalities also increased significantly over the period, rising by 9.94% from 781 deaths between January and July 2025 to 829 in the corresponding period of 2026.
The development occurred even as overall road crashes and total fatalities declined, underscoring the growing road-safety challenge posed by motorcycles.
1,703 killed in 7 months
The data showed that 1,703 road users were killed in crashes between January and July 2026, representing a marginal 0.6% reduction from the 1,713 fatalities recorded during the same period in 2025.
Of the 1,703 people killed, 183, representing 10.7%, were below 18 years, while 1,520, or 89.3%, were adults.
The gender distribution showed an even heavier fatality burden among males.
A total of 1,362 males, representing 80% of all deaths, were killed during the seven-month period, compared with 341 females, representing 20%.
The figures, according to the MTTD data, demonstrate that males continue to account for a substantially higher proportion of road-crash deaths.
Ashanti records highest deaths
Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of road fatalities, with 428 deaths, followed by Eastern Region with 363 and Greater Accra with 216.
Central Region recorded 159 deaths, Western 148, Bono East 102, Western North 68, Volta 54, Bono 38, Upper East 32, Ahafo 29, Northern 16, Upper West 15, North East 14, Savannah 11 and Oti 10.
The MTTD data showed significant variations in fatality trends across the regions.
Bono recorded the highest increase in deaths at 45.5%, while Savannah recorded the highest decrease at 65.6%.
Motorcycles lead fatality burden
The vehicle-category figures provide the starkest warning in the seven-month road-safety statistics.
Motorcycles were responsible for 829 deaths and 3,577 injuries, compared with 781 fatalities during January-July 2025.
This represented a 9.94% increase in motorcycle deaths.
Commercial vehicles, which generally carry the highest number of occupants among the three major categories, recorded 534 deaths and 4,369 injuries.
Their fatalities declined by 9.82%, from 579 in 2025.
Private vehicles recorded 340 deaths and 1,931 injuries, representing a 7.33% decline from the 353 fatalities recorded in the previous year.
On the basis of the 1,703 total deaths, motorcycles therefore accounted for 48.68%, commercial vehicles 31.36%, and private vehicles 19.96%.
The analysis consequently highlights the disproportionate severity of motorcycle crashes: although motorcycles carry fewer occupants, they accounted for nearly one in every two road deaths recorded during the period.
11,580 casualties recorded
Overall casualties from road crashes reached 11,580 during the seven months, comprising 1,703 deaths and 9,877 injuries.
The number of commuters injured increased by 2.9%, from 9,594 in 2025 to 9,877 in 2026, according to the MTTD data.
Ashanti again recorded the highest number of injuries, with 3,189, followed by Eastern with 2,344 and Greater Accra with 1,574.
Central recorded 1,214 injuries, Western 289, Western North 346, Bono East 217, Volta 193, Ahafo 104, Upper West 89, Northern 66, North East 90, Savannah 44, Bono 42, Oti 39 and Upper East 37.
The highest increase in injuries was recorded in the Northern Region, at 47.6%, while Upper East recorded the highest decrease, at 72.3%.
Crashes fall 3.4%
Despite the increase in injuries and motorcycle fatalities, the overall number of crashes declined.
The data recorded 8,155 crashes between January and July 2026, down 3.4% from 8,441 crashes during the corresponding period of 2025.
Ashanti recorded the highest number of crashes, with 2,424, followed by Greater Accra with 2,330 and Eastern with 1,309.
Central recorded 724 crashes, Western 417, Western North 197, Bono East 194, Volta 187, Upper West 84, Bono 62, Ahafo 51, Upper East 49, North East 39, Northern 34, Savannah 34 and Oti 20.
The Upper West Region recorded the highest increase in crashes at 175%, while Ahafo recorded the highest decrease at 45.3%.
The data also showed a decline in crashes during the seven-month period, from 1,288 in January to 1,042 in July 2026, representing a 19.1% reduction.
Injuries were highest in January at 1,670 and lowest in July at 1,263, indicating a generally downward pattern after January despite fluctuations during the period.
13,825 vehicles involved
The MTTD data further showed that 13,825 vehicles were involved in road crashes between January and July 2026, representing a 3.8% decline from the 14,372 recorded during the corresponding period of 2025.
Private vehicles remained the largest category of vehicles involved in crashes, accounting for 39.3% of reported vehicle involvement.
However, motorcycle involvement increased by 9.9% compared with January-July 2025, while commercial and private vehicle involvement declined by 9.8% and 7.3%, respectively.
The overall decline in reported vehicle involvement was therefore driven largely by reductions in commercial and private vehicle involvement, even as motorcycle involvement moved in the opposite direction.
Two-wheel motorcycles dominate cycle crashes
The data also showed the dominant role of two-wheel motorcycles in crashes involving cycles.
Cumulatively, from January to June 2026, two-wheel motorcycles accounted for 70% of cycles involved in crashes.
They were followed by tricycles at 28%, while bicycles and handcarts each accounted for 1%.
The figures reinforce the growing significance of motorcycles in Ghana’s road-safety picture, particularly when their rising involvement is considered alongside the disproportionate number of deaths attributed to them.
Pedestrian knockdowns decline
Pedestrian knockdowns declined during the period.
The number fell by 5.7%, from 1,485 in 2025 to 1,401 in 2026.
The number of pedestrians killed also fell by 5.66%, from 407 in 2025 to 382 in 2026.
The decline in pedestrian knockdowns and deaths formed part of the broader reduction in total crashes and overall fatalities. However, the increase in motorcycle fatalities stands out as a major area of concern.
Motorcycle deaths defy overall decline
The seven-month figures present a mixed road-safety picture.
Overall crashes fell by 3.4%, from 8,441 to 8,155, while fatalities declined marginally by 0.6%, from 1,713 to 1,703.
Pedestrian knockdowns also declined by 5.7%, and deaths among pedestrians fell by 5.66%.
Yet motorcycle fatalities increased by 9.94%, from 781 to 829, while motorcycle involvement in crashes rose by 9.9%.
The figures compiled from the MTTD data highlight a particularly serious road-safety concern: motorcycles, despite their lower occupancy, generated the largest share of road deaths among the major vehicle categories.
With 829 motorcycle-related deaths representing 48.68% of all 1,703 fatalities, nearly half of everyone killed on Ghana’s roads during the first seven months of 2026 was associated with motorcycle crashes.
The data therefore point to motorcycle safety as one of the most urgent areas requiring attention if Ghana is to reverse the continuing loss of lives on its roads.
