A recent audit by Ethiopia’s Office of the Federal Auditor General has uncovered alarming discrepancies and chaos in the road safety data managed by key government agencies, raising serious concerns about the country’s ability to effectively assess and address its road traffic accident crisis.
The audit report highlights a striking inconsistency in the number of reported road traffic accident victims across government bodies. For example, in fiscal year 2021, the Ministry of Health recorded an extraordinarily high number of victims — 222,217 — compared to just 9,566 reported by the Federal Police and 14,413 by the Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service. This vast variation makes it nearly impossible to grasp the true magnitude of the problem or to allocate resources accurately.
At the core of this issue is the lack of a unified, modern data management and exchange system. Without such a system, critical information is neither consistently collected nor shared among stakeholders. The audit recommends that the Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service spearhead the development of a comprehensive data management platform that would involve federal and state police, customs commissions, insurance institutions, and other relevant actors. Such integration is essential for generating reliable, up-to-date data on vehicles and accidents.
The report also estimates that nearly one-third — about 438,000 — of the country’s 1.4 million registered vehicles operate without the mandatory third-party insurance, leaving victims of accidents involving these vehicles vulnerable and without access to rightful compensation and medical treatment.
Further complicating the picture, the Federal Police reportedly do not document accidents occurring on internal city roads or on roads under construction that have yet to be officially handed over to administrative authorities. This omission denies many accident victims the ability to receive emergency medical services or compensation through the Road Safety and Insurance Fund.
The audit draws particular attention to regional disparities as well. In the Sidama region, for instance, none of the 40,000 motorcycles are insured, and only 12,000 drivers possess valid licenses. Given the rising use of motorcycles, these findings signal a significant and alarming threat to road safety and accountability.
Covering the period from 2021 through April 2024/25, the audit includes detailed reform recommendations urging immediate corrective action to ensure both consistency with the law and improved effectiveness of road safety measures.
In response to the audit findings, the Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service acknowledged the discrepancies and described the problem as long-standing. They explained that the higher victim numbers reported by the Ministry of Health likely reflect data duplication because victims may receive treatment at multiple healthcare facilities. The service noted ongoing efforts to rectify data inconsistencies, though the audit findings expressed skepticism, pointing out the lack of tangible progress to date.
Additionally, the auditors found no evidence to support the Service’s claim that its third-party insurance collection system is effectively operational.
Another critical observation from the audit is the tendency for road accident cases to be handled informally by local elders instead of being officially reported and processed. This practice further undermines efforts to build an accurate record of road incidents and to enforce accountability.
The report concludes with a call for enhanced collaboration among government bodies and institutions to improve data accuracy and to address the systemic challenges that obstruct effective road safety initiatives.
