The rising toll of road fatalities in Nigeria has become a grave concern, with no fewer than 21,509 lives lost in road crashes over the past four years.
Data from the Federal Road Safety Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics paint a picture of road safety in the country.
According to the NBS, 6,205 fatalities were recorded in 2021, while the FRSC reported 6,456 deaths in 2022. In 2023, road accidents claimed 5,081 lives, with 3,767 more deaths reported in the first nine months of 2024 alone.
Speaking on the alarming figures, FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide identified several contributing factors, including poor compliance with traffic regulations, overloading, and inadequate enforcement of safety measures.
“Many commercial drivers disregard essential rules such as speed limits and regular vehicle maintenance due to lax enforcement and insufficient awareness,” Ogungbemide explained.
He also highlighted overloading as a persistent challenge.
“Overloading not only increases the likelihood of accidents but also reduces the effectiveness of safety measures,” he said, urging stricter enforcement and penalties to address the problem.
A road safety expert, Jide Owatunmise, emphasized the need for better driver education and accountability.
He recommended barring untrained or inexperienced individuals from driving and implementing stricter penalties for traffic violations.
“No one with little or no knowledge of traffic signs, road markings, and road rules should be allowed to operate a vehicle,” Owatunmise stated. “Additionally, there should be uncompromised consequence management for violators and those responsible for crashes.”
The FRSC has called for a multi-faceted approach to tackle the rising road fatalities.
The commission has also encouraged collaboration between government agencies, civil society, and transport unions to promote safer road practices.
