Ghana has enacted a new national road traffic act and updated safety standards for child restraints and motorcycle helmets, measures designed to prevent deaths and serious injuries from road crashes. The law and standards were adopted by Ghana’s parliament in December 2025 and came into force in early 2026, largely aligning the country with World Health Organization (WHO) road safety legal recommendations, according to a press release by the World Health Organization. The reforms target key risk factors identified in international road safety guidance. They cover child occupant protection, drink-driving thresholds, and helmet quality for riders. Together, the measures mark a significant legislative shift in Ghana’s approach to traffic safety.
Road deaths in Ghana increased by 65% between 2016 and 2021, reaching a reported annual toll of nearly 3000. With nearly 26 road deaths per 100 000 population, Ghana’s fatality rate is far higher than the WHO African Regional average of 19 per 100 000. The global average stands at 15 deaths per 100 000. Motorcycle riders account for a third of all road deaths in Ghana. These figures underscore the urgency behind the new legal framework.
The new law on child safety restraints meets all WHO recommendations, including the use of child car seats linked to the age, height, weight, and physical vulnerabilities of infants and young children. Child safety restraints have been shown to reduce deaths in crashes by up to 71% among younger infants. Ghana has also strengthened its national drink-driving law by lowering the blood alcohol limit for drivers from 0.08 to 0.05 grams per deciliter, meeting most WHO legal recommendations. Between 33% and 69% of all drivers killed in road collisions in low- and middle-income countries have been shown to have consumed alcohol. All motorcycle riders must now wear safe and high-quality helmets, which reduce the risk of death in a crash by more than six times.
“Ghana’s amendment to the national road traffic act and new safety standards marks a major step forward for road safety. WHO is proud to have helped shape these changes that will save lives on the roads. Good laws and policies, strong leadership, coordination and enforcement are key to building safe transport systems that prioritize people and safety,” said Dr Fiona Braka, WHO Representative in Ghana. With support from WHO, partners, and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, more than 60 countries have improved laws on key risk factors for fatal road crashes since 2007. These factors include safe speed limits, drink-driving, seatbelts, child restraints, and motorcycle helmets.
Ghana’s progress comes in the lead up to the UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety, where global leaders will share plans to accelerate action toward the global goal of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030. There are nearly 1.2 million road traffic deaths worldwide each year. Road crashes are the leading cause of death among children and young people aged 5-29. The newly adopted measures in Ghana directly address several of the risk factors driving these figures. Implementation and enforcement will determine the law’s long-term effect on road fatalities.
