The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has disclosed that more than 4,700 road crashes were recorded between January and April this year, leading to over 1,000 deaths and 5,591 injuries.

This revelation was made during a stakeholder engagement with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), following a previously postponed meeting on May 29.

During the session, NRSA Principal Manager Dennis Yirebu noted a troubling rise in road incidents, with a 13% increase in injuries, a 7% rise in pedestrian knockdowns, and a 6% growth in collisions compared to previous reporting periods. He emphasized that these statistics point to a worsening road safety situation in the country.

The NRSA identified the inadequate availability of road signs and the presence of billboards on road medians as major contributors to the increasing number of accidents.

In response, the Authority has directed all MMDAs in the Greater Accra Region to remove billboards placed on medians, citing their role in obstructing drivers’ visibility and thereby increasing the risk of crashes.

Speaking on the implementation of the NRSA Act and its accompanying regulations, Director-General Abraham Amaliba clarified that the directive to remove billboards is not a blanket ban, but a focused safety intervention.

He also urged the assemblies to set up and operationalize Road Safety Committees to improve the coordination and execution of safety initiatives across the country.