Averting Road Accidents In Nigeria

Road accidents,  the world over have become
a regular phenomenon.
Records have it that 1.3 million persons are killed and 50 million injured globally every year from road clashes.
Everyday, Nigerians die on the road and many are injured, due largely to road accidents. It is believed that road traffic accidents are the third leading cause of deaths in the country.
Infact, over 80 per cent of injuries in Nigeria are traffic related accidents.
According to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), between 2008 to 2011, 4,157 lives were lost and a total of 13,251 persons sustained various forms of injuries through road accidents in the country.
Indeed, there is no gainsaying the fact that there are far to many accidents on the road today.
Little wonder that Health Minister, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu noted at a press conference to mark the First Anniversary of the United Nations  Decade of Action in Abuja that Nigeria has the second highest road traffic accident fatalities among the one hundred and ninety-three countries in the world.
According to him, Nigeria records one hundred and sixty-two deaths per one hundred thousand, which he noted impacts negatively on the country’s ability to achieving the millennium development goals as most people affected are the youths.
The recent revelation by the Federal Road Safety Commission that two hundred and sixty-two road accidents were recorded between October and the first week of November this year nationwide is indeed a source of concern.
These accidents according to the public relations officer of the Commission, Mr Jonas Agwu are caused by speed violation, wrongful overtaking and brake failure, among others.
Indeed, the causes of road accidents in Nigeria are varied, but related to the road conditions, vehicles conditions and driving habits.
Infact, a lot of accidents happen as a result of cars unexpectedly running into obstructions and road hazards on the country’s highway such as potholes, damaged road sections and other objects.
Also, most vehicles in Nigeria are neither serviced regularly by authorized manufacturers, agents nor by people who have access to the manufacturer’s service manuals.
Same is applicable to serviceable parts which are also not supplied by the authorized manufacturer’s agents. These fake parts therefore tend to give way in the least expected situations and cause accidents on the Nigerian roads as well.
Indeed, the driving habits of some drivers are so bad that they drive too closely to the vehicle in their front at high speeds causing major difficulties for the vehicles.
It is regrettable that, speed limits are never adhered to on the roads and the vehicles are commonly used well in excess of the design load capacity.
No doubt, many road accidents are preventable, if people would only pay attention and abide by road safety rules.
Though, we cannot guarantee total accident-free society, there are several things drivers and other road users could do to help minimize the number of accidents that occur on our roads everyday.
First, there is the need to obey traffic laws and driving should be our only focus while behind the wheel.
Secondly, we should avoid driving under the influence of drugs or alcohols as it is a major cause of accidents and automobile-related deaths.
The Federal Road Safety Commission should also continue with its campaign towards reducing road crashes in the country.
Above all, government should intensify efforts to put all the roads in the country in good condition in order to avert road accidents in the country.
Nna is an intern with The Tide.

Nna Kingsley