By JIIDE OWATUNMISE

Serious danger is looming in this country if the Government at all levels continues to pay lip service to Security and Road Safety issues.

Global and Local research reports revealed that over 80 per cent of Road Traffic Crashes were caused by the Human Factors and over 70 percent of this were attributed to the Drivers.

It therefore means that if the Human Factors are effectively handled with uncompromised traffic law enforcement, about 70 percent of the Road Accident can be prevented. It is possible in Nigeria because some Countries have done it successfully.

Losing over 43,000 men and women, young and old on Nigeria roads with over 200,000 people suffering various degrees of injuries annually is not a pleasant news at all.

Quality Prevention education and uncompromised enforcement still remains the sure antidote to the challenges of Road Traffic Crashes globally.

Between January and December, 2023, I and my team embarked on a research project that took us to all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. We monitored the driving pattern by drivers of commercial, private and self-owned vehicles.

In the course of the research, we observed the following:

1. Over 70 per cent of the drivers on inter-state and street roads were guilty of unsafe speed.

2. Over 60 per cent of the drivers were guilty of lane weaving, lane split and other types of reckless driving.

3. Over 80 per cent of the drivers were guilty of lane indiscipline.

4. Over 80 per cent of the drivers were guilty of traffic light violation, particularly, running the red and stopping after the stop line.

5. Over 80 per cent of the Very Important Personalities (V.I.Ps) sampled, violated multiple traffic regulations.

6. Over 50 per cent of the drivers, particularly in the northern states have no valid driver licence.

7. Over 60 per cent Officers of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIOs) and Nigeria Police compromised their duties.

8. Over 60 per cent of interstate commercial vehicles were guilty of operating.

9. Over 70 per cent of intra city commercial vehicles were guilty of overloading.

10. Over 90 per cent of drivers of commercial vehicles have never gone to any accredited Driving schools for the regular mandatory proficiency re-retraining programme as prescribed in the National Road Traffic Regulations (2012 and the 2016 Amendments) Acts. Commercial vehicles according to the Federal Government Law include vehicles of companies and individuals being used for business operations like banks, insurance companies and others.

11. Over 90 per cent of motorcycle and tricycle riders did not have any training in road traffic regulations, traffic signs, road markings and signals.

12. Over 90 per cent of the private and commercial drivers did not know all the traffic signs and road markings.

13. Over 90 per cent of all classes of drivers and road traffic officers did not know the contents of the National Road Traffic Regulations (2012)

14. Over 90 per cent of all Classes of Drivers and Traffic Officers were not aware of the existence of the National Road Traffic Regulations (2016 Amendments) Act.

15. Over 80 per cent of all classes of drivers in Nigeria did not have a copy of the latest edition of the Nigeria Highway Code which has more new information for safer road use than the previous editions. Drivers are to regularly update their knowledge and skills through regular Re-training and publications.

16. Over 90 per cent of all classes of drivers have no first aid kit in their vehicles contrary to the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations (2012) and the Nigeria Highway Code.

17. Over 70 per cent of all classes of drivers have no knowledge of first aid practice.

18. Over 60 per cent of the drivers observed were guilty of dangerous overtaking.

19. Over 60 per cent of the vehicles observed (and inspected) on inter-state, intra-state and inter-city trips were not roadworthy in the real sense of it.

20. Over 80 per cent of the drivers and other vehicle occupants did not use seat belt and child restraint systems.

21. Over 40 per cent of the roads covered had dangerous obstructions left for more than 24 hours.

22. Over 60 per cent of long distance drivers were guilty of alcoholism, substance use and drug abuse.

23. Over 40 per cent of all categories of commercial vehicle drivers suffered fatigue.

24. Over 70 per cent of the roads covered in all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria had unmarked roads (no road markings).

25. Over 60 per cent of critical areas had no traffic signs.

26. Over 50 per cent of the Trunk A roads are in deplorable conditions.

27. Over 40 per cent of the Trunk B roads are in deplorable conditions.

28. Over 80 per cent of the Trunk C roads are in deplorable conditions.

29. Over 90 per cent of the roads covered had no CCTV Camera to monitor traffic and apprehend traffic offenders.

30. Over 60 per cent of the junctions or cross roads have no traffic lights despite the fact that a high rate of crashes do occur at junctions in the day and night.

31. About 50 per cent of the black sports are not manned by security operatives in the night thereby exposing night travellers to more hazards. Night journeys cannot be cancelled because some long journeys cannot be completed in daytime and some goods such as day old chicks, fish fingerlings and some hazardous good are better moved in the night time.

32. There is no functional 24/7 road traffic management, road surveillance, incidents monitoring and emergency response system in any state in Nigeria.

With the high rate of disorderliness in the transportation, driving and road safety systems in Nigeria which has principally been responsible for the very high rate of Road traffic crashes, injuries and deaths, greater loss of lives and valuable properties looms, far more than what Nigeria has ever suffered in the past even in war times if nothing drastic is done by the government and other stakeholders.

In the same vein, the rate of insecurity is disheartening thereby calling for more strategic approach, not necessarily more funding.

Nigeria has satellite facilities (SAT 1 and SAT 2). Of what use have these been in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria?

If the operators of the Nigerian satellite system cannot structure effectively for adequate surveillance and surveillance detection, they should be replaced with more skilled experts who can turn the Sat 1 and Sat 2 to assets I’m the fight against all forms of insecurity in Nigeria.

With the satellite system, it is possible to monitor the happenings on every street in and around Nigeria. With the right use of the satellite system in Nigeria, crimes can be prevented, detected and the culprits apprehended wherever they are in Nigeria.

With the satellite systems Nigeria has and proper synergy with security operatives, Nigeria can easily, quickly and sustainably become a safe haven for all residents in the cities, towns, villages and even remote farms.

Government should without delay pay adequate attention to all issues relating to transportation, road safety and security in Nigeria to avoid the looming nightmares worse than Boko Haram and insurgency.

•Jiide Owatunmise is Registrar/ Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy, can be reached via roadsafetytrainers@yahoo.com

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