Why road accidents are rampant

Travelling from one place to another started from time immemorial; primitive generations used animals such as camels, donkeys, horses, chariots, etc for their journey or delivery of goods. The advancement in technology has brought immeasurable development, it eases the tediousness and perturbing harsh weather one encounters in desert or snowy places. The invention of fuel-powered  bikes and automobiles has made the past methods almost obsolete but still they are used in villages. Yet, despite the limitless development in transport, there is significant increase in incidences of mobility and mortality rates due to road accidents. Road accidents are significantly high in most developing countries and Nigeria is one of them. Accidents have claimed many lives and at the same time have crippled the economy of both the individual and country at large.

Innocent souls are being lost almost on a daily basis due to preponderance of road accidents; that was why the Federal Road Safety Corps was established in 1988 with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria. The major cause of road accidents in Nigeria is heavily defiance to enshrined driving rules which are set to guide drivers on the way for safe journey and there is need to take road accidents as issue that require urgent interventions. Furthermore, the inevitable corruption which has eaten deep into the flesh and bones of Nigerians and officers responsible for traffic rules has continued to drag us back; breeds people that should have no business on wheels drive. According to NaijaAuto.com there are three ways one could choose to have drivers’ licence; the first one is enduring the strenuous task of applying for new drivers’ licence at FRSC office.

Similarly, the second one is negotiating with express licence agents to get everything done at high price and the last one is stealing a deal with fake licence makers with little amount of money.  The majority of people prefer to spend much by taking the second method which is a threat to safety of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Some of the core causes of road accidents include overspeeding, overloading and carefree over-taking; some drivers drive at high speed not minding the passengers they carry some, before leaving bus stations, usually jam-pack the bus with an overload of passengers and luggage. Also, negligence to laid down driving rules has been the major cause of accidents. While some drivers are aware of such rules, others disobey them out of knowledge.

Also, some drivers fully know their vehicle need to be serviced but still ignore such and travel like that which at the end leads to technical faults on the road which leads to avoidable crashes accident or head-on collisions. Also, consuming intoxicants and hard drugs is another cause of accidents; some drivers can not take to the wheels without abusing drugs, which makes them see drugs and intoxicants as ordinary sweet. As the festive period of Eid is fast approaching, the rate of travelling would increase and the number of traffic agents that are supposed to be on major roads will not be enough to reach villages where often, violation of driving rules is rampant. Abiding by driving rules is important as it reduces rate of accidents. Passengers also contribute to accident as some of them pressurize drivers to drive fast while others even when drivers are driving recklessly.

The level of orientation in rural areas is obviously low, FRSC is really trying by its adverts and jingles on radio and television but the language being used is English, which most rural dwellers find hard to comprehend. Few road accidents attract investors from abroad to invest in a country; that could lead to development in businesses and help a country out of recession. In order to reduce and prevent road accidents in Nigeria, government at all levels should take construction of new roads in areas that need them  seriously and expand narrow ones; the narrow ones become congested during festivities. Speed limit devices should be made compulsory for drivers of private and public vehicles. Also, anyone caught carrying excess luggage required should be punished irrespective of whoever he or she is.

There is paramount need for authorities responsible for maintaining traffic regulations to instal Closed Circuit television (CCTV) cameras at strategic locations which can assist in detecting and identifying traffic offenders easily. Road safety officers and other sister agents should be granted the mandate to arrest anyone that violates driving rules, immunity which some leaders enjoy that makes them to do whatever they like on the roads should be minimized or totally cancelled. Heavy duty vehicles that overspeed in towns should have specific location on the outskirts of cities so that they could be parked there and smaller vehicles should be used in conveying what they bring into markets. Reckless driving under the influence of intoxicants should attract huge fines or spending months in correctional centres as, doing this would serve as deterrent to victims and any station that allows such drivers, operate deserve to be closed.

May we have accident free Eid celebrations.

Kobi can be reached on 08100358411

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