Findings by the media from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have revealed that no fewer than 4000 people have been killed in road crashes across the country. According to the agency, 4,387 persons have died from road accidents between January 1 and June 30, 2023. The corps revealed that exactly 1,080 people died in the 2,056 crashes recorded in the first quarter (Q1) of the year. The data also showed that 13,415 people were involved in road crashes, but 6,803 were injured and 5,879 were rescued without injuries.
However, in Q2 of the year, the number of accidents increased to 2,635 and the number of people involved increased to 16,354. A total of 8,919 people were rescued without injuries. Additionally, the number of deaths rose by 3,307 and 7,305 were injured. This brings the number of deaths to a total of 4,387 at the end of Q2 2023. The FRSC also gave a breakdown of these incidents by state.
Stat breakdown ranks FCT as first with the highest fatalities.
According to the data obtained from the FRSC, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has the highest number of fatalities (a total of 615) while Bayelsa State recorded the least number of deaths (only eight) within the period under review. According to geopolitical zones, in the North West region, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa recorded 159, 74 and 232 deaths respectively and Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto had 30, 40, and 36 deaths respectively. In the North East, Adamawa had the highest number of fatalities with 174 deaths, followed by Gombe which recorded 132 deaths, and then Bauchi, Taraba, Borno and Yobe with 130, 77, 35, and 48 deaths respectively.
In the North Central zone, Nassarawa recorded 299 deaths, closely followed by Niger and Kogi with 197 and 169 deaths respectively. Plateau had 133 deaths, Kwara had 194 and Benue had 74, which is the least in the region. In the South South, Edo had the highest with 61 deaths, followed by Delta, Cross Rivers, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa with 45, 39, 23, 22, and 8 deaths respectively. In the South East, Ebonyi topped the chart with 62 deaths, while Enugu, Anambra and Imo recorded 58, 40 and 31 deaths respectively. Abia State recorded the least fatality in the region with 24 deaths. Finally, in the South West, Ogun State had the highest number of deaths with 423 persons. Oyo, Ondo, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti had 255, 212, 191, 141, and 42 respectively.
SON urged to enforce high quality tires in the country.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Akingbade Tiwalade, has blamed road crashes on substandard tires and vehicle spare parts. He expressed concerns that some locally produced new tires are not reliable in quality when compared to the imported fairly used ones popularly called “Tokunbo.” According to him, the regulatory authorities should enforce standards in the country. He urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Government to intervene and ensure tires and all motor parts produced locally meet the standards.
He expressed shock that these Tokunbo tires are more reliable than their locally produced new counterparts. He said that new products such as these ones produced in Nigeria should be the best wherever it is tested. This is because tires are essential components of a vehicle and they can determine whether passengers survive in an accident. The RTEAN official also added that potholes and bad roads contribute to accidents and urged the government to fix them.
Private cars are more involved in road accidents, says FRSC.
Speaking on the issue, the organizing secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), FCT chapter, Mr. Lawrence Fadipe, said the accident and fatality figures from the FRSC were not exclusive to commercial transporters. He said that members of the union record fewer incidents according to reports. While road accidents may have reduced, the RTEAN official said that the union is not resting on its oars. Instead, its officials are always organizing orientation programs for drivers on the need to be more professional behind the wheel.
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