Road Crashes: Ogun Records More Road Crashes, Fewer Deaths In First Half Of 2026

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

Ogun State recorded an increase in road traffic crashes during the first six months of 2026, but significantly fewer people lost their lives compared with the same period last year, according to a new traffic crash report released by the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE).

The agency’s 2026 Half-Year Traffic Crash Statistics Report, prepared by its Department of Planning, Research and Statistics and made available in a press release by the PRO, Mr. Babatunde Akinbiyi, showed that 152 road crashes were recorded between January and June 2026, up from 139 cases in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a 9.4 per cent increase.

Despite the rise in crash incidents, fatalities fell sharply by 18.7 per cent, from 123 deaths in 2025 to 100 in 2026, suggesting improvements in emergency response, enforcement and post-crash management.

The report described the decline in fatalities as a positive development but warned that the increase in crashes, injuries and pedestrian involvement underscores the need for stronger preventive road safety measures.

According to the findings, injuries increased slightly by 3.9 per cent, while the number of passengers involved in crashes rose significantly by 26.4 per cent, reflecting increased traffic volumes and exposure on the state’s road network.

Pedestrian involvement also increased by 23.1 per cent, prompting the agency to call for greater investment in pedestrian safety infrastructure, including safer crossings and public awareness campaigns.

A quarterly breakdown revealed mixed performance during the review period. The first quarter of 2026 recorded 88 crashes, compared with 74 during the same period in 2025, an increase of 18.9 per cent. Fatalities during the quarter also rose by 38.3 per cent, although injuries declined by 8.5 per cent.

Passenger involvement surged by 29.7 per cent, while pedestrian-related incidents almost doubled, increasing by 87.5 per cent, making pedestrian safety one of the agency’s major concerns.

However, performance improved considerably in the second quarter. TRACE recorded 64 crashes between April and June 2026, marginally lower than the 65 cases reported in the corresponding period of 2025.

More significantly, road traffic deaths during the quarter declined by 70 per cent, falling from 50 fatalities to just 15, the most notable improvement recorded in the report. Although injuries increased by 18.8 per cent, the agency attributed the reduction in fatalities to improved enforcement operations and enhanced emergency response.

The report also highlighted changes in the types of vehicles involved in crashes. Commercial vehicles remained the most frequently involved category, rising by 30.2 per cent during the first half of the year. Private vehicle involvement increased by 70 per cent, while buses involved in crashes rose by 50 per cent.

Conversely, motorcycle involvement declined by 34.9 per cent, and crashes involving articulated vehicles and tankers dropped by 40 per cent, indicating improvements in compliance among some heavy-duty vehicle operators.

Overall, the number of vehicles involved in crashes increased by 24.1 per cent, rising from 378 in the first half of 2025 to 469 during the same period in 2026.

To sustain the reduction in fatalities while reversing the rise in crashes, TRACE recommended intensified enforcement against speeding and dangerous driving, expansion of road safety education campaigns, improved pedestrian facilities, stronger emergency response coordination, and greater use of crash data to identify and address high-risk corridors.

The agency also called for closer collaboration with local governments to improve road engineering and strengthen driver training, particularly for commercial transport operators.

TRACE concluded that while the reduction in fatalities demonstrates encouraging progress in road safety management, continued investment in enforcement, public education, engineering improvements and emergency response remains critical to reducing both crashes and injuries across Ogun State.