Ghana road fatalities reach 35-year high in 2025

Ghana has recorded its highest annual road death toll in 35 years, with 2,949 fatalities reported in 2025. The Road Lines Foundation described the figure as a public health and economic emergency, noting that the loss of life among the productive working-age population threatens human capital development and national tax revenues.

Data from the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) indicates that road safety received a low infrastructure scorecard rating. The institution reported that men account for approximately 80 percent of road crash fatalities. On average, road crashes in the country claim eight lives per day, a worsening trend compared to the 2001–2003 period when the daily average was six deaths.

Experts have noted that the surge in accidents is placing significant pressure on hospitals due to the high number of survivors requiring treatment for severe injuries and disabilities. There are ongoing calls for more effective use of hospital and road crash data to identify accident black spots and for a formal national emergency response to address the crisis.