THE HIGHWAYS TO DEATH

The authorities must do more to stem the grave perils on our roads

Nigerian roads are now considered too dangerous to ply by many global agencies within the transport sector. Even the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola recently expressed his concerns. More people, according to Fashola, died from road accidents than from Malaria and COVID-19 combined in January this year. To highlight the gravity of the situation, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently revealed that no fewer than 41,257 deaths were recorded on our highways in the last eight years.

Hardly any day passes without report of a road accident that leaves on its trail grisly tale of fatalities, horrific injuries, wrecks, traffic hiccups and loss of productive hours. Multiple causes are responsible for the rise in road carnage in the country. The factors range from faulty road design to poor road quality, insufficient safety features in vehicles and speed limit violation by reckless drivers, who disregard all safety codes, and many of whom are half asleep behind the wheels under the influence alcohol and drugs. All these, in addition to reckless driving culture occasioned by making calls or texting on cell phones while on the wheel, have made Nigerian roads a theatre of blood.

As we have argued repeatedly, what is happening on most of our highways is anathema to decency in road usage while the armada of trailers and petroleum tankers has become a major source of incessant accidents. Much as we appreciate the primacy of the long vehicle drivers in the product distribution chain, the authorities must ensure that they render their services carefully and within the ambit of the traffic rules and regulations. The high turnover of victims on our roads is undesirable given that victims are often people in the prime of their productive years.

Besides the socio-economic burden that these road mishaps place on the victims’ families, they also take a huge toll on the national economy. Many of the nation’s productive manpower are lost to accidents. It is also estimated that about N450 billion is lost annually from goods and services in road accidents. Mr. Fashola disclosed that over N2.6 billion was required by government to repair the incessant vandalism caused to bridges and other road infrastructure across the nation by drivers of articulated vehicles who are either drunk or are driving poorly maintained vehicles. Which is why we urge the FRSC to do more, in line with its statutory functions, to minimise the scourge on our roads by making the highways safe for motorists and other road users. It is only when motorists and members of the public are enlightened about the importance of safety and essence of discipline that road accidents on the highways can be minimised.

But there is need to move from rhetoric to concrete measures that will help address the problem. We urge the federal government and its agencies to take steps that will help to ensure that our roads remain safe for travellers. And when an accident happens, it does not have to be fatal. For instance, seat belts as safety equipment may not be 100 per cent reliable but could save life when it matters. In studies carried out in many developed countries it had been proved statistically that seat belt, if properly worn, greatly reduces the risk of death and injury in many car crashes.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other bodies placing Nigeria as one of the countries with very high road fatalities, the authorities must do something to contain this menace that is cutting short the lives of our citizens.