MITIGATING ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) IN NIGERIA: A MULTILATERAL APPROACH

MITIGATING ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) INNIGERIA: A MULTILATERAL APPROACH

BY

Professor Bamidele Badejo, Department of Geography and Regional Planning

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Ogun State ,

Cmdr. Tayo Adebajo Research Department

Federal Road Safety CorpsAbuja FCT

And

Mr. Olajide SalakoCentre for Transport Studies

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Ogun State

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MITIGATING ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) IN NIGERIA: AMULTILATERAL APPROACH

BYProfessor Bamidele Badejo,

Department of Geography and Regional PlanningOlabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Ogun State ,

Cmdr. Tayo Adebajo Research Department

Federal Road Safety CorpsAbuja FCT

And

Mr. Olajide SalakoCentre for Transport Studies

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Ogun State

1.0 INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUNDTransportation safety irrespective of the mode of transportation is aparamount requirement for every nation be it developed or developing one.Regardless of their population/demographic attributes, industrial capacity andadvancement as well as their technological development know how, or otherwise,transport safety is an essential ingredient in their daily socio, economic,environment, political development and planning agenda. The rationality behindtotal focus and commitment to transport safety worldwide and or globally isbecause transport is the engine of development and economic progress. Thevalue added role of transport infrastructure is very high and ubiquitous.

Very often, the level of the socio-economic and political development ofnations is partly measured by the level of its transport infrastructuredevelopment and especially the transport safety component. In many developingeconomies especially Nigeria, transport infrastructure development is veryfundamental to the socio-economic progress. It is therefore not surprisingthat the Nigerian government in the last 50 years have committed colossalfinancial investment in the development of its transport sector. Despite hugefinancial allocation to the transport sector and appreciable progress havebeen achieved in the process, it is very unfortunate to state that the present

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situation of the nation’s transport sector is sadly unencouraging, painful andhighly deteriorated.

Irrespective of the mode of transport in Nigeria, the issue of transportsafety is seen as very important however, much is yet to be achieved inmitigating the problem of transport safety. Even though the country enjoys themodal presence of Rail, Air, Waterways and International Shipping, the RoadTransport Mode is the most popular and widely used. Over 98% of thepopulations of Nigeria depend on the road transport mode to realize theirsocial, economic, psychology and political needs and commitment. The neartotal dependence of the Nigerian population on road transport mode has createdits own attendant associated problems. The predominant of these road transportdependence related problem being Road Traffic Crashes (RTC).

The consequential negative, traumatic and punitive effects of road trafficcrashes in the socio -economic, environmental, political, psychological andproductivity output of the country cannot be over emphasized. It is anundisputed fact that road traffic crashes (RTC) is the highest single killerof man than any other form of death and causalities in Nigeria. The incidenceof road traffic crashes in the country in the last five decades had givenserious course of concerns to successive governments in the country sinceindependence. However concerted efforts to effectively address the incidenceof road safety and traffic related crashes matters started with the creationof the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in 1988. The creation of thisCommission was as a result of the observed increasingly unabated andcomplexity in the rate of road traffic crashes across the country. Thesingular mandate of the Commission was to eliminate and contain the incidenceof RTC and promote road safety culture amongst all users of road in thecountry. To address this objective of abating RTC, the Commission introducedvarious measures, strategic policies and programmes all with the aim ofreducing and mitigating the incidence of road traffic crashes.

While some of the measures and approaches adopted and pursued or introduced bythe Commission are unilaterally applicable some require a combination of morethan one applicable measure. Even though the Commission have been able toreduce the incidence of RTC from where it was about 20years ago, there is needfor more concerted efforts and the aggressive pursuance of innovative and

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technological driven applications to further address the incidence of RTC. Itis the focus of this paper to examine and discuss further how to mitigate theincidence of Road Traffic Crashes in Nigeria with the consideration ofmultilateral approach.

TABLE 1: ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) IN NIGERIA 1960 - 2010YEAR ROAD TRAFFIC

CRASHESNATIONALPOPULATION

YEARLY VEHICLELICENSED (2.2%)

NATIONAL POP. IN‘00

1960 14130 30817891 84025 3081791961 15963 31890354 101774 3189041962 16317 33000138 119523 3300011963 19835 34148543 137272 3414851964 15927 35336912 155021 2533691965 16904 36566656 172770 3656671966 13550 37839156 190519 3783921967 13000 39155958 208268 3915601968 12163 40518586 226017 4051861969 12988 41928633 243766 4192861970 16656 43387749 261515 4338771971 16745 44897643 279264 4489761972 23187 46460081 297013 4646011973 24181 48076891 314762 4807691974 28893 49749967 332511 4975001975 23611 51481266 350260 5148131976 37881 53272815 368009 5327281977 35716 55126708 385758 5512671978 36111 57145118 403507 5714511979 29271 59131288 421256 5913131980 32138 61084542 439005 6108451981 33777 63210285 456756 6321031982 37094 65410002 474503 6541001983 32109 67686271 492252 6768631984 28892 70041753 510001 7004181985 29968 72479206 527750 7247921986 25188 75001482 545499 7500151987 28215 77611534 563248 7761151988 2172 80312415 580997 8031241989 1754 83107287 598746 8310731990 21934 85999420 616493 8599941991 22546 88992200 634244 889922

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1992 22864 91724261 615993 9172431993 21459 94540195 669742 9454021994 18204 97442579 687491 9744261995 17030 100434067 705240 10043411996 16442 103517392 722989 10351741997 17488 106695376 740738 10669541998 16138 109970924 758487 10997091999 15865 113347032 776236 11334702000 16606 116826786 793985 11682682001 20530 120413368 811734 12041342002 14544 124110058 829483 12411012003 14364 127920237 847232 12792022004 14274 131847388 865871 13184742005 9062 135895103 884920 13589512006 9114 140003542 904389 14000352007 8477 143503631 924285 14350362008 11341 147091221 944619 14709122009 10854 150768502 965401 15076852010 5330 154537714 986640 1545377

998802 26927779Source: FRSC, 2010.

The focus of this paper is to further explore various avenues through whichthe mitigation of road traffic crashes could be achieved in Nigeria. Inaddition, the paper recognizes other existing various strategies andapproaches towards mitigating the incidence of Road Traffic Crashes while thisdiscourse is to add to existing strategies thereby further enhancing thequality or methodological approach and options towards abating and reducingRTC in the country.

2.0 CONCEPTUAL CONSIDERATION IN ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHESIt is often necessary to note that Road Traffic Crashes occur with a combination of causation factors. These causal factors often combine together to make a RTC to happen. Hence, RTC does not just happened; it is caused by certain forces. Over the years, researches and RTC analysis have been able to establish some common denominators or factors that often lead to RTC for the purpose of this paper, the focus will be on

i) The Epidemiological Model/Concept of Road Traffic Crash5

ii) The Pre-Crash Crash Post Crash concept of Haddon (1968)

iii) The Road, Vehicle and the Driver by Mackay (1974)

From the above, the conceptualists of (i), (ii) and (iii) are only playingwith words and delving heavily on that aspect of the causation factor of theirinterest.

One common denominator is that all the modelists/theorists recognized that RTCdoes not occur in isolation. It is caused by a combination of the abovefactors and forces. The vehicle has to be with the mechanical state and safetycompliance of the vehicle. (how road worthy) while the Environment or Road hasto do with the road system measured by road safety standards and qualitycontrol, are the Nigerian roads safe enough to guarantee crash prone roadsystem. The Driver has to do with that person propelling the vehicle. Howcompetent is the person. Has he fulfilled all defensive driving safety

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Vehicle

Driver

Road

Pre-Crash Post-CrashCrash

Environment

Host

Agent

requirements or if not such person may even pose danger to other road usersespecially non-drivers such as pedestrians etc.

It is further necessary that the component sub-sector of the Driver in theAccident Causation Model has been expanded to include all human beings andperson. The law enforcement, the legal requirements, the socio-cultural,political and economic dimensions which are likely to combine together tocause crashes. Unlike when the central focus was on the Driver. It istherefore necessary for the continuous understanding of causation of RTC totake into consideration the conceptual relationships that play to result intocrashes. Meaning also that any corrective measure towards abating and reducingthe incidence of RTC globally should also appreciate the holistic relationshipthat exist amongst the sub-systems. This is suggestive that operating in asilo may not provide the much needed solution or result towards the reductionof RTC. Hence, the safe system concept adopted by FRSC is a welcome idea andvery laudable (FRSC 2011).

3.0 ROAD SAFETY IN NIGERIA: ACTIONS, GOALS AND AGENDAThe Nigerian lead Agency on road transport safety _______The Federal RoadSafety Corps (FRSC) was established in 1988. The lead Agency has a coremandate to abate the incidence of Road Traffic Crashes in the country. Overthe years, major strategic actions, goals and agenda have been implemented andpursued to aimed achieve set goals aimed of reaching the incidence of RTCwhile some of the implemented policies have worked with great successes andachievement, others have to be re-assessed or fine-tuned to reflect currentset objectives for the reduction of RTC.

Currently, the lead Agency (FRSC) is committed and dedicated to the goalslisted below to ensure reduction and abatement in RTC are achieved

i) The declaration of African Ministers of Transport and Health at theAfrican Road Safety Conference in Accra 2007. Popularly known as Accradeclaration of African Road Safety 2007.

ii) Re-affirmation of the declaration of African Ministers responsible forTransport and Infrastructure adopted in Addis – Ababa 2005 on theimportance of transportation achieving the MDA’s Strategies.

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iii) Adopted the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety 2011 – 2020 and to try toreduce by half (50%) the forecast increase of road fatalities by 2015and 2020 respectively.

It further adopted the safe system principles to achieve the set agenda of theUN Decade of Action. The safe system approach is anchored by 5 (five) pillarswhich are also endorsed by the committee of the UN Decade of Action.

These are:

(i) Road Safety Management(ii) Safer Road and Mobility(iii) Safer Vehicles(iv) Safer Road Users(v) Post – Crash Response

i) Road Safety Management: This focuses on the need to strengthenInstitutional capacity to further national Road Safety efforts. Itincludes activities such as establishing a Lead Agency for road safetyin the country ______ Nigeria established the Federal Road SafetyCommission (FRSC) 23 years go. (1988).

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Road Safety

Management

Post – Crash

Response

Safer Road Users

Safer Vehicles

Safer Roads and

mobility

Safe System

ii) Safer Road and Mobility: This highlights the need to improve the safetyof road networks for the benefit of all road users especially the mostvulnerable: Pedestrians, bicyclist and motorcyclists.

iii) Safer Vehicles: This addresses the need for improved vehicle safety byencouraging harmonization of relevant global standards and mechanism toaccelerate the uptake of new technologies which impact on safety.

iv) Safer Road Users: This focuses on developing comprehensive programmes toimprove road user behavior. Activities include sustained or increasedenforcement of road safety laws, (regulations) and standards combinedwith public awareness and education to increase (safety) seat-belt and(safety crash) helmet wearing and to reduce drinking and driving,speeding and other risks.

v) Post – Crash Response: This promotes the improvement of health and othersystems to provide appropriate emergency treatment and longer – termrehabilitation/recovery for crash victims.

4.0 ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES IN NIGERIA: TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONSA total of 4765 Road Traffic Crashes were recorded in 2011 which resulted in4,372 persons killed and left 17,464 people with various degrees of injuries.1764 of the cases reported were fatal, 2485 serious and, 516 minor. TheFederal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded highest cases of RTC for the year2011 and followed by Kogi State with 475 and 343 cases respectively. On theaverage in the year 2011, 123 crashes, 11 deaths and 48 injuries were recordeddaily in year 2011 as a result of Road Traffic Crashes. Comparative analysisof year 2010 and 2011 showed approximately 11% and 3% reduction in RoadTraffic Crash cases and number of persons injured respectively in 2011compared with previous year. Though, there was reduction in number of crashescases, there exist an increase of 8% in number of persons killed in 2011 over2010. This shows that RTC in year 2011 claim more lives than what we have inyear 2010, though ha clear reduction was noted.

A trend analysis from 2001 to 2011 shows that: one (1) person was killed inRTC every 53 minutes in 2001, one person killed in RTC every 129 minutes in

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2010 while one person was killed in RTC every 120 minutes in 2011. One (1) RTCoccurs every 26 minutes in 2001; one RTC occurs every 99 minutes (1hour, 39minutes) in 2010 while one RTC occurs every 110 minute (1hour, 50 minutes) in2011. The report also indicates that 7,882 vehicles were involved in trafficcrashes. 3365 of those vehicles were cars, 1849 buses, 1256 motorcycles, 768trucks and 644 tankers//trailers. FCT recorded the highest number of vehiclesinvolved (772) and closely followed by Oyo and Kogi States with total numberof 623 and 493 vehicles respectively. Annual Daily average of vehiclesinvolved in Road Traffic Crashes stood at 22 vehicles while this is a nationalaverage, the spatio – temporal various exist from one state to another as wellas from one geographic location to the other.

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TABLE 2: ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) DATA FOR 2011

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Figure

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

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Figure 3:

Figure 4:

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Figure 5:

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Table 3:

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Table 4: CATEGORY OF VEHICLES INVOLVES IN ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES ON STATE BASIS

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Figure 6:

Figure 7:

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Table 5: SEVERITY INDEX OF ROAD TRAFFIC CRASH (RTC) IN 2011

Observations emanating from the RTC trends highlighted from the variousreports considered for this discussion include that:

i) Road Traffic Crashes are a leading cause of death and injuries in thecountry. This is further reiterated by the WHO (2004).

ii) In Nigeria, 4065 road users were killed and 18,095 were injured in 2010(FRSC, 2010).

iii) Road transport accounts for over 98% of all modes of transportationwidely used by the entire peoples of Nigeria.

iv) Further successive Nigerian governments have shown concerted efforts andconcerns towards reducing and abating the incidence of Road TrafficCrashes through various governmental agencies measures and policies.

v) In 2010, 643,424 plate numbers were processed and 306,234 (47.6%) werefor motorcycles (popularly called OKADA).

vi) Persistent overloading of heavy vehicles is predominant and rampant.vii) Use of safety belt violation is very high.viii) Use of safety crash helmet violation and non compliance.ix) Excessive speeding and speed violation very rampant.x) Deteriorating Road Infrastructure.xi) Bad driving culture and behavior.

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Figure 8:

xii) Enforcement constraints.xiii) General absence of coordination.

5.0 OBSERVED CAUSAL FACTORS OF ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) IN NIGERIAUsing the conceptual applications to the understanding and generalappreciation of the causes of RTC, it will look as if RTC causal factors areuniversal and the same all over the world, even though they share similartheoretical explanation. However, probing further shows a very great divide intheir causal factors spatially and in complexity.

In Nigeria, some of the major observed causal factors of RTC are:

(i) Bad roads, faulty design, multiple bends, poor or outright lack ofmaintenance of roads.

(ii) Overloading of heavy vehicles, overloaded converted pickup trucks andminibuses. Since they are infact the only affordable means of motorizedtransport for many of the poorer people of the society.

(iii) Predominance of Rickety vehicles, non-compliance with road worthinessrequirement and standard.

(iv) Over speeding or excessive speeding on the highway.(v) Very poor driving culture and behavior attitude (highly impatient and

indiscipline on the use of road).(vi) Stiff competition and suspection among road transport agencies,

management and Authority with no collaborative effort. Every agencyseems to be functioning in its own silo e.g Police, State Traffic Agencyetc.

(vii) Maintenance of roads in shared between Federal 17%, state 16% and localgovernments 67%. Neither the Federal government that owns 17% of theroads, nor the states with 16% and local government with 67% maintainsits roads while far newer roads than are needed are being built by thevarious governments.

(viii) Extant road traffic laws violation and non-compliance. Such as useof cell-phone, teenage driving, seat belt violation, safety crash helmetviolation, driving against traffic drink-driving, drug-driving.

(ix) Total dependence of the people on road mode 98% as the only availablemeans of movement and interaction. With a population of over 150 millionpeople.

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(x) Weak enforcement capacity, capability and competence.(xi) Weak application in the use of data and information technology for Road

Safety Management and appropriate deployment of personnel,infrastructure, and equipment scientifically.

(xii) As against the situation in the developed world, increased motorizationhave lead to worsened road crashes.

(xiii) General high risk circumstances of young drivers – especially maledrivers that are involved in speeding, drink-driving, non-wearing ofseat belts and drug-driving

6.0 IMPLICATIONS OF ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES (RTC) IN CONTEXTGlobally or locally, Road Traffic Crashes have serious negative implicationsover any nation. In the case of Nigeria, the implications of Road TrafficCrashes can be classified into:

(i) Economic Implications(ii) Social ,,(iii) Environment ,,(iv) Political ,,(v) International ,,

Since, Road Traffic Crashes are a leading cause of death and injuries inNigeria, it exerts serious implications as itemized above. Such intrinsic costinclude

(i) The value of life, pain, suffering

(ii) Loss in productivity due to death and injuries

(iii) Material damages to vehicles, infrastructure, road system

(iv) Health care especially emergency, hospitalization, outpatient etc.

(v) Administrative cost (Police, Road Safety Agency, State TrafficManagement, Transport, and Insurance).

(vi) Travel Cost (congestion, grid locks, disruption in transportationservices, re-scheduling of appointments and engagements. Supply ofmaterials especially perishable ones.

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(vii) Declining international image especially loss in tourism andrecreation, international businesses are discouraged.

(viii) The economic cost of traffic crashes and fatalities in developingcountries has been estimated at $65billion per year (WHO, 2004).

7.0 MULTILATERAL APPROACH/STRATEGYRoad Traffic Crashes and injuries are largely preventable. The World Report onRoad Traffic Injury Prevention (RTIJ) says that fatal and long term crashinjury is largely predictable, avoidable and a problem amenable to rationalanalysis and remedy. Most international agencies including WHO, World Bank andUN acknowledge that the key to achieving better performance in road safety isEffective Safety Management. To achieve safety management, the FRSC mustrecognize the positive roles within the three tiers of government can play inother to tackle the scourge from the root. The multilateral approach that thisdiscussion suggest is based on the fact that many factors are responsible forRTC and these causal factors are multi hydone and therefore require multipleapplication and approaches capable of reducing the incidence of RTC.

The application of the strength, weakness, opportunities and threat (SWOT)analysis could go a long way in identifying the most applicable option capableof reducing RTC in the country. The general approach that is based onindividual agency operating in a silo and in stiff competition with oneanother will end up compounding by raising the incidence of RTC.

8.0 SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

i) Paradigm Shift: Instead of blaming the drivers and concentrating RTCreduction strategy on the drivers there is need to re-examine thisstrategic approach. The paradigm shift that is needed is to fix thesystem. This suggests that for RTC to occur, it goes beyond the driveralone. All are capable and therefore we need to re assess currentstrategic approach. This suggest for the general adoption ofMultilateral Approach and options for RTC abatement and reduction.

ii) Strategic Highway Safety Plan: It is very essential to note that “he whofails to plan, planned to fail”. It is necessary to evolve a strategichighway safety plan and programme across the country. The Nigeria Road

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Safety Strategy (NRSS) recently completed by the FRSC should be furtherpursued with vigour and intense energy for its final adoption andsubsequent implementation. The NRSS which is anchored on the safe systemapproach is a comprehensive and all encompassing document that will go along way in RTC reduction in the country. The safety management plan inplace will provide critical success story in the future.

iii) Intermodal response: There is need to start thinking about how to reducethe near total dependence on road mode (98%) as the only available meansof movement and interaction for over 150 million Nigerians. As part ofthe Multilateral Approach/Strategy being suggested for RTC reduction inthe country is to revive the railways, waterways and rehabilitate thepipelines. With concerted efforts from governments to revive therailways, waterways and the pipelines will obviously reduce dependenceon road transport mode and by implication reduces the incidence of RTC(fatalities and injuries) in the country.

iv) Enforcement of Extant Laws: Governments should also enforce extanttraffic laws than using road laws and regulations to raise revenue.Traffic management agencies should drop the idea of raising money andprioritize SAFETY. FRSC should return to its core mandate and diligentlypatrol and enforce laws on the federal highways while state trafficauthorities should be better trained, better equipped and wherenecessary properly re-oriented for quality professional highwaymanagement.

v) Adequate funding and resource deployment: various governments (at alllevel) should adequately fund road safety agencies and avoid settingrevenue targets. Today countries are engaged in planned investment inimproving the quality of the traffic system. New traffic managementstrategies recognize that speed management is central to an effectiveroad safety management system such as, breathalyzers, speed cameras andvehicles to improve road safety.

vi) Political Will, Public support and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)efforts i.e high level of political support and stakeholders partneringcampaigns and strategic public forth.

vii) Human Capacity Development and building – i.e human resources deploymentand equipment.

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viii) Scientific Approach that is robust and ridden with data, information andcomputer technology driven. This will provide evidence and analyticbased solution and answers.

9.0 CONCLUSIONRoad crashes are leading cause of death in Nigeria and the situation demands acollaborative effort by all tiers of government to drastically bring downcrash rates. In addition, there is need to agree that to reduce the incidenceof RTC multilateral consideration and approach option must be imbibed. Therear dependence of the entire Nigerians on road mode suggest for an urgentreverse of the trend. Such acceptance to reverse is a multilateralconsideration. It must be recognized that prevention efforts notwithstanding,road users will remain fallible and crashes will occur. However, in the eventof a crash, there is need for emergency medical services aimed at reducingeither death or disability.

REFERENCESAdeniji K. (2000): Transport Challenges in Nigeria in the Next Two Decades

Monograph, Ibadan NISER (2000).

Badejo, Dele (2000): “The Socio-Economics and Environmental Objectives of

Public Transport in Urban Nigeria.” Third World Planning Review, England

Badejo, Dele and Bawa-Allah, T. O. (ed.) (2002): Public Transportation in

Nigeria. (2002)

Badejo, Bamidele (2011): Transportation: Removing the Clogs to Nigeria’s

Development. Anchorage Press and Publishers. Lagos. (2011).

Badejo, Bamidele (2014): Road Safety and National Development: The Urgency of

Now. 3rd Waheed Kadiri Annual Lecture (2014).

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