Photo taken on Sept. 15, 2014 shows the Ghana National Theater against the backdrop of Gulf of Guinea. (Xinhua/Lin Xiaowei)

ACCRA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- More than 500 persons were killed in 2,890 motor accidents in Ghana during the first three months of this year, local media reported here Wednesday, quoting police sources.

A report by the state-run Ghana News Agency (GNA) quoted the Police Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) as saying that between January and March 25, Ghana recorded 2,890 road crashes in 2017 as against 2,830 recorded over the same period in 2016.

It said the number of vehicles involved in these crashes rose from 4,088 to 4,802, with 510 people deaths as against 485 deaths recorded in 2016, and attributed 70 percent of these crashes to lack of maintenance of vehicles and irresponsible driving such as over-speeding and wrongful overtaking.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alex K. Obeng, Director in-charge of Education and Training, MTTD of the Ghana Police Service, made this known Wednesday at the launch of Street Sense Organization (SSO), a Non-Profit Organization, which champions road safety education.

He said 2,971 people were injured within the period under review as against 2,576 in 2016, adding: "The statistics is scary and we need to come together to partner the government to address it."

DSP Obeng commended the SSO for their foresights and pledged the MTTD's preparedness to support them in achieving their targets.

Oswald Lavoe, Executive Chairman of the SSO, in a speech read for him, said despite some progress over the years, road safety still remained a great national concern that required collaborative and concerted efforts to promote it.

"These statistics on road crashes in Ghana is startling and worrying, and we cannot just sit with folded arms and watch thousands of innocent souls perish through accidents without taking any actions," he stated.