Lagos — Research has shown that Africa has four percent of the total cars in the world, but accounts for more than eleven percent of the world's auto accident casualties. Nigeria has about the highest rate of vehicle mishaps on the continent.

For residents of Kardarko, a boundary town between Nasarawa and Benue States, accidents along the federal trunk road has become a common sight. The fact is that most of the accidents are usually very ghastly and devastating. According to Tivlumun Atsaka, a 40 year-old taxi driver, who lives in Kardarko, car accidents that occurred in the last one year have claimed an estimated 200 lives.

Most of the carnage usually happen on the notoriously chaotic curve of the road, five minutes drive from the town towards Makurdi in between two rice fields and if you are to drive further ten minutes down, there is an inscription on a little sign-post on the road which said "This road sucks blood".

Two months ago, a J5 commercial bus, loaded with 18 passengers and goods skidded off the sharp bend of the road and ran into an up-coming Honda car coming from the opposite direction. The entire commuters in the two vehicles all died on the spot. These are everyday occurrences in Kardarko, which may have the highest rate of car-fatalities in Nigeria. AIDS may be the only probable killer more devastating than traffic accidents in the area.

"We have seen too many deaths caused by various levels of accidents on this road either due to the fault of drivers, who are very careless after taking some drugs which keep them agile or some of these accidents are caused by spiritual attacks," said Terka Emmanuel who came to check a spot of a fatal accident that claimed the lives of 16 of his relatives who were on their way early this year to Abuja for a wedding of a cousin.

He lamented the ugly situation and wondered why governments in the country and authorities concerned with traffic and road safety are not putting any concrete plan to either reduce or curb the regular fatal accidents on the road.

THISDAY investigations revealed several factors that lead to these accidents not only in Kardarko but also, elsewhere in the entire country. One of the problems according to the safety commander in the state, Rose Ajene, is the issue of unskilled drivers. In the country today, she said any one could get a driver's license without passing through the necessary test.

Further investigations showed that licences are being sold by the authorities concerned arbitrarily to Nigerians without the authorities empowered with the issuance conducting any test. Education, she said, posed another challenge. Drivers on this route, despite the presence of police men on the high way and some times, the road safety corps marshals, you still find out that 90 percent of drivers on the road do not use seat belts and most cars are overloaded. Instances abound where taxi drivers would even put an extra passenger on his own seat. All these are allowed by the security and safety men on the road who see these things but don't question it. And the people living around this route show little understanding, or perhaps just plain disregard for traffic rules. Some of their actions have led to some of these fatalities. They cross the road without cross checking if there is a car ahead and the activity of the Fulani Cattle rearers who's herd are notorious for causing many of the accidents when they cross the road.

Another factor is the aging fleet of cars that are allowed by the road safety marshals to ply the road. Some could be aptly described as moving coffins. Most of the trucks and buses that ply the route are cars that have been on the road for several years and their parts are worn out over time. But the danger these conditions are causing are being over-looked by the government.

Although the Federal Government over the years has been doing a lot to reduce road accidents by pegging speed limit at 60 kilometre per hour, and severe charges on traffic offenders, the recent surge in accident cases have sent a clear signal that authorities responsible for applying these regulations are becoming indolent in their duties and responsibilities.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa has 4 percent of the total cars in the world but accounts for more than II percent of the world's traffic casualties. Nigerian has about the highest rate.

The problem with our road safety system is the enforcement of the rule and regulation. The enabling laws have been put in place to safe guard against traffic incidents but the regulators are those to blame for not enforcing it, said a source. But from investigations, it is clear that the Federal Road Safety Commission, which is empowered with traffic issues, lack the equipment to perform effectively. Despite daily occurrence of traffic on the route and in particular at the spot, government has not seen reasons to give more attention to the area.