by Ndubuisi Edeoga
The Federal Road Safety Commision has been in the news a lot lately.
Guardian: January 1, 2009 deadline given to all motorcyclists otherwise known as Okada riders in the country to wear the security crash helmet.
Leadership: The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has affirmed its intention to partner stakeholders to reduce road accident in these ’ember’ months.
Thisday: Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC) has disclosed that 450 Nigerians die in road accidents every month.
etc etc
If only we had some data…it will really not be surprising to find out that RTAs are the cost the most deaths across all ages in Nigeria.
Causes?….again we can only guess….but in Nigeria…all would make sences:
- Alcohol
- Rapid motorization
- Driving without passing or even attempting a driving test
- Bad roads
- Bad cars
- Nil emergency response
A new thinking is evolving with the new leadership of the 
Federal Road Safety Corps. The new emphasis on prevention. the truth is that it will be some time before our roads are great, before our cars are road worthy ….and it will be a long, long time before we see an ambulance rushing to an accident site.
So what do we do?
We prevent …by enforcing the simple things:
1. Seatbelts
2. Helmets
3. Speed limits
4. Load factor
Me wonders….how many FRSC officials are trained in simple life saving procedures as tieing a tournique or CRP….or in other simple first aid procedures.
Me wishes that some organisation some BIG organisation can take up the cause of reducing RTAs in Nigeria and partner with FRSC. What a better way of spending money on advertising this would be….
A lot better than our banks signage at Heathrow.
Mr Chidoka represents a new face, young, educated, articulate. His appointment is probably the first time a civilian has been given the responsibility of any of the uniformed soldiers in Nigeria.
The lives of millions of Nigerians literaily depends on the decisions he makes daily. We wish him well….for all our sakes.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has…Margaret Mead
Factually incorrect- Dr Olu Agunloye was a civilian and the FRSC cadre are not a Soldiers. Having said that Mr Chidoka, is undeniably embodies the real/effective leadership this organisation has lacked.
True True…..
Thanks for the clarification….and we could argue that those were the good days of the FRSC…
We hope that those days return and even get better!
450 Nigerians die in road accidents every month What agency keeps this record and how is it collated? This is a giant leap in the right direction but the education is more important than enforcing in the stated period.
It appears that carrying two passengers in the front seat beside the driver by comercial transporters has been accepted as a nom by NIgerian authorities including the FRSC.You marvel at how these drivers manage to pass through all the numerous check pionts on our roads.Talk of overloading indeed.
Okada riders now carry two pasengers behind the rider.Does this not amount to overload? Come January 2009,how many crash helmets will such an Okada rider carry?-two or three?