The Upper West Region recorded a total of 42 deaths through road crashes from January to June, 2013.

The figure indicates a 16 per cent reduction of road crashes during the period as compared to the 50 deaths recorded last year.

Mr Mohammed Abdul-Samad, Regional Manager of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) made this known at the 2013 mid-year review conference of the Commission in Kumasi.

He said the number of reported accident cases increased from 100 in 2012, to 121 cases in 2013 while the total number of fatalities decreased from 46 in 2012, to 38 in 2013.

Mr Abdul-Samad noted that the vehicles involved in the road crashes increased from 147 in 2012, to 178 in 2013 while the serious cases increased from 34 last year, to 35 this year.

The total number of minor cases jumped from 20 cases in 2012, to 48 cases in 2013 with 141 people sustaining various degree of injuries in 2012 and 166 this year.

Mr Abdul-Samad said the NRSC would continue to intensify road safety education and ensure effective collaboration among stakeholders to bring road crashes under control.