A total number of 2,198 individuals lost their lives in 2016 to road accidents, Commander of the Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong has revealed.

The figure represents an increase of 5.64 as compared to the 1,634 people who lost their lives in the year 2015.

Mr Sarpong on Tuesday, January 17 expressed displeasure about the high number of accidents in the past year.

Meanwhile, Kwame Atuahene, head of communications at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), has revealed that the total number of accidents exceeded the target of 1,440 set by the NRSC at the beginning of the year.

Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday December 20, Mr Atuahene said: “If you look at data available from January to November [2016], you will realise that about 1,990 accident-related deaths were recorded. We set a target for ourselves at the beginning of the year based on some strategies and programmes we laid-down, but, unfortunately, as of November, the figures showed that we have exceeded the target of 1440.

“We were worried that we exceeded that target because for the past three years we have been experiencing a reduction in the figures of accident-related deaths.”

Although the NRSC is yet to conduct research into why the figures exceeded the target they set, Mr Atuahene said: “We noted that in every election year for the past 20 years, conditions worsen, and so although we are yet to do an analysis on why we exceeded the target we set for ourselves, in the interim we can attribute it to election year problems.

“The elections, coupled with the Christmas season, resulted in brisk activities. People also drink and drive and also drive very tired. There is the need for us to remind ourselves of road safety regulations.”