National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently released figures which show that not less than 2,673 people lost their lives in road accidents in the first half of this year. The biggest credit for this horrifying figure, the bureau says, goes to over-speeding.
An approximate 15 persons die daily in Nigeria as a result of road crashes. This equals 2,673 as released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to the “NBS Road Transport Data,” about 1, 466 died in the first quarter and 1, 207 in the second quarter. The report stated that speed violation was the major cause of accidents with the second quarter, accounting for 44.44 per cent of road accidents, this is as the corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi equally blamed the carnage on over speeding, night journeys and “use of motor boys to drive tankers.”
Despite the horrific figure, the analysis, however, indicated that the number of deaths through road accidents was rather on decline, compared to the number of people, claimed same period in the preceding year
The first quarter data reflected that 2,556 road accidents occurred during the period while that of the second quarter is 2,503.
It stated that loss of control accounted for 12.92 per cent of the accidents, while dangerous driving accounted for 8.06 per cent of road crashes in the second quarter.
The bureau further stated that 8,270 people were injured in the accidents and that 7,805 of the 8,270 injured persons were adults, representing 94 per cent of the figure, and added that 465 or six per cent of the injured were children.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja recorded the highest number of road accidents in the second quarter, followed by Kaduna and Niger states, while Borno and Bayelsa states recorded the lowest number of accidents.
The bureau estimated the number of vehicles in the country in the second quarter to be 11.51 million for the country’s equally estimated population of 193.40 million at the end of 2016.
According to the bureau, a total of 218,060 national drivers’ licences were produced in the second quarter, and that Lagos State and FCT produced the highest number of licences while Zamfara and Kebbi states produced the lowest numbers.
Meanwhile, in 2016, the report stated that a total of 5,053 Nigerians got killed in the road accidents. The report stated that 4,696 of the 5,053 Nigerians that got killed, representing 93 per cent of the figure were adults, while the remaining 357 Nigerians, representing seven per cent of the figure are children. It stated that 3, 9 70 male Nigerians, representing 79 per cent, got killed in the accidents, while 1,083 female Nigerians, representing 25 per cent, died. The report said the total vehicle population in Nigeria in 2016 was put at 11,387,185.
The report notes that “Commercial vehicles accounted for 53.8 per cent of the total vehicle population in Nigeria in 2016, private vehicles 44.5 per cent, government vehicles 1.65 per cent and diplomatic vehicles accounted for 0.1 per cent.
“With the total population of the country puts at 193 million in 2016, Nigeria’s vehicle per population ratio is put at 0.06. Data on the category of vehicles involved in the road accidents reflected that 56.6 per cent of the vehicles are commercial (8,876) and 41.6 per cent are private (6,521).’’
According to the data, 1.70 per cent are government (270), and the remaining 0.10 per cent are diplomatic (15). Even in 2016, the FCT recorded the highest number of accidents, closely followed by Kaduna and Niger States, while Borno and Bayelsa recorded the least. “A total of 889,834 national drivers licenses were produced same year. “Lagos and FCT produced the highest number of drivers’ licenses, while Yobe and Zamfara produced the least number of national drivers’ license.
Also, a total of 462,395 vehicle number plates were produced in 2016. “Lagos and FCT produced the highest number of vehicle plate numbers, while Yobe and Zamfara produced the least number of vehicle plate numbers in 2016.
Meanwhile, Oyeyemi, has credited improved training and equipment of traffic officers across the country for the reduction of road crashes.
Oyeyemi said he remained optimistic that the speed-limiting devices in commercial vehicles would drastically reduce crashes on Nigerian roads. This is as he revealed that the country lost N3.2 billion to road crashes in first quarter of this year alone. This loss, he revealed was as a result of crashes, caused by articulated vehicles on the road.
Mr. Oyeyemi made the disclosure in the joint meeting of National Executive Council and State Chairmen of National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO recently.
The corps marshal said that no fewer than 62 road crashes involving 65 tankers were recorded in the first quarter of 2017 with several lives lost. A recap of the road mishaps show that in January, just two days into the new year, six people died in different auto accidents in two states.
Along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, a couple, who was returning to Lagos, from a trip to Enugu State, died in an accident when their black Honda CRV, SUV and a white DAF trailer collided at the Sagamu axis of the Lagos /Ibadan Expressway, in Ogun State.
The couple and one son died in the auto crash. The couple reportedly died on the spot while one of their three children later died at the Olabis Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu.
In Katsina, three people died in an auto accident on Malumfashi-Funtua Road, in Malumfashi local government area of Katsina State. The accident involved a Volkswagen bus, with registration number KTU 203 AA, with 15 passengers on board.
In February, no fewer than 25 passengers died in three auto crashes on Ibadan-Ife Road, Ofoke and Ankpa- Lokoja Expressway.
The Ibadan incident, which happened at Asejire, opposite Nigeria Bottling Company in Egbeda local government area of Oyo State claimed 11 lives.
Less than four hours after, eight persons died at the Zariagi end of Abuja-Lokoja Road, six others lost their lives in another auto crash at Ofoke on Ankpa-Lokoja Expressway.
The accident involved two buses, a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number ENU 633 XB while the second bus was burnt beyond recognition.
In April, At least 11 people lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident at Ohiana area, along Okene-Auchi road in Kogi State.
The accident was caused by a head on collision between a Toyota Hiace Hilux bus with registration No: Delta AYB 939 XP, belonging to Big Joe Transport Company and a truck loaded with cement.
Late in July, six persons died, while four were injured in an accident on the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway.
The crash happened when a Nissan Quest van with registration number FKJ 297 AJ coming from Ikorodu to Ibadan rammed into a moving Iveco truck due to excessive speed.
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