Nigeria: The Need to Tackle Road Accidents

As we once again enter the "Ember Months" the period from September to December, concerns are already mounting over the perennial rise in road accidents during this season. Historically, this quarter of the year records an increase in crashes, injuries, and fatalities across the nation's highways.

For years, many Nigerians have held the belief that the Ember Months are laced with negative spiritual forces, hence the spike in accidents. However, experts, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), maintain that the real reasons are far more practical. According to the FRSC, the surge in vehicular movement during this period, as families travel, traders move goods, and festivities draw closer, inevitably places heavy pressure on the roads.

Compounding the situation is the negative attitude of many drivers who show little or no regard for road safety regulations. Reckless driving, over-speeding, dangerous overtaking, and poor vehicle maintenance remain major culprits behind the bloodshed on Nigerian roads.

It is therefore imperative for the FRSC to intensify its preparedness during these months. Adequate logistics, personnel, and patrol vehicles must be deployed to ensure that reckless drivers including operators of articulated trucks are kept in check. More importantly, recalcitrant drivers must be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

The responsibility does not rest on the FRSC alone. The federal government must provide the Corps with the required resources to carry out its mandate effectively, while state traffic management agencies should collaborate closely to ensure accident-free roads during the Ember Months.

Furthermore, security agencies should caution their personnel against extortion of drivers and the creation of unnecessary checkpoints. Such practices not only fuel frustration but also cause long traffic buildups that heighten the risk of crashes.

Nigeria cannot continue to lose precious lives every Ember season to preventable road accidents. The time to act is now. With collective responsibility, strict enforcement of traffic laws, and genuine commitment from drivers, government, and security agencies, the roads can be made safer and the tragic pattern of Ember Month casualties can finally be broken.

Read the original article on This Day.