News Commentary: The Need to Curb Road Traffic Accidents in Nigeria

It is written by Joan Davou of our News and Current Affairs Department

In Nigeria, road transportation has remained the most common means of transportation. This is so because of its affordability and accessibility to the people compared with other means of transportation in the country

However, it is worrisome that despite the advantages, road traffic accidents are said to be Nigeria’s third-leading cause of overall deaths and the most common cause of disability in the country

Reports obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that Nigeria recorded a total of 3,345 road traffic crashes in the first quarter of this year, an average of 37 road crashes per day with a total of 1,834 deaths recorded.

The high number of road crashes has been blamed on several factors including poor traffic infrastructure, poor road design, poor enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, a rapidly growing population, and a subsequent number of people driving cars, among others.

Many have also blamed the situation on poor public awareness and road safety campaigns.

They noted that the campaigns which are still low among the citizenry must be robust and sustained all-round year for maximum impact and not limited to only festive seasons as is currently the practice.

Also, the enforcement of the existing traffic safety laws must be pursued vigorously and offenders severely punished to serve as a deterrent to other road users.

On the part of the government, there is a need to view road accidents as an issue of urgent national importance that needs attention aimed at reducing their health, social, and economic impact.

Policymakers at the various levels of government need to also recognize this growing problem as a public health crisis and design appropriate policy responses that will be backed up with careful implementation.

Although road safety laws exist in Nigeria, the level of implementation by road users is quite low.

Hence, there is a need for road users as well to adherence to traffic safety regulations in order to reduce the frequency of road accidents.

Therefore, all hands must be on deck In order to see a significant reduction in the fatality and severity of injury associated with road crash not only during this festive season but at all times