3,500 people die every day in road traffic crashes worldwide ―IRF

VICE President, International Road Federation (IRF), Mr Mile Dreznes, has revealed that at least road traffic crashes kill about 3,500 people every day across the globe with Nigeria contributing 100 of those deaths.

He spoke at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Institution of Highway Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) in collaboration with IRF on Tuesday in Abuja.

Dreznes, who described the situation as frightening said the theme of the workshop “Safer Roads by Design” was important to ensuring safety on the roads.

He said: “1.3 million people die annually with 3,500 people a day on road crashes around the world. This is frightening and a serious problem because that is equivalent to seven plane crashes in a day”.

He also disclosed that about 50 million people sustain various degrees of injuries each year around the world with 40 per cent of them pedestrians and 50 per cent vulnerable road users who are not driving but victims of circumstance.

The IRF chief noted that the panacea for road crashes on the nation’s highways was to “construct and design of five star roads, train five star drivers, five star pedestrians and using of five star cars”.

Earlier, Engr Obiekwe Anaduaka, National Chairman, Nigeria Highway Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) said the workshop was timely as the issue of safety on roads was paramount in the country.

Anaduaka explained that ensuring safer roads there was need for critical consideration of the design which was the foundation of road construction urging stakeholders to go back to the basics.

Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, in his remark said the theme of the workshop was key to the work of FRSC, pledging to meet the demands of ensuring a safe road

Oyeyemi who was represented by Peter Osawe noted that the Corps, there was a federal road fund bill in the national assembly and “we believe when approved it will provide the much needed five star roads”.

Awards of excellence were presented to some participants for their efforts in improving safety on Nigerian roads.

The award recipients were Engr Otis Anyaeji, President Nigeria Society of Engineers, Prof Danladi Matawal, Director General Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NIBRRI), Sen Kabiru Gaya, Chairman Senate Committee on works amongst others.