Data is crucial to traffic management - FRSC

Collection and analysis of reliable data is very important in traffic management. This assertion was made by the Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO), FRSC Zone RS10, comprising Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Kayode Olagunju’ an assistant corps marshal (ACM), FRSC.

He stated this while addressing key stakeholders that form the multiple data sources on Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) in the zone. He called on the agencies involved in RTC management comprising the FRSC, the Police, hospital management, vehicle inspection officers, state agencies on traffic and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to ensure proper documentation of every road crash detailing vehicles and persons involved as well as casualty statuses.

According to Aliyu Ma’aji, the Public Education Officer, assistant corps commande, Olagunju enjoined all the participants at the technical workshop for the planning research and statistics officers of the key agencies involved in data

collection in the Zone to effectively collaborate in creating credible RTC database in the zone.

He drew the attention of the participants to the National Road Traffic Crash Management System (NRTCMS) aimed at harmonizing data from different sources for the country to have single credible RTC data.

The ZCO also emphasized hospital follow-up to have update on road traffic crash victims brought to the hospitals as some of the injured could have died or discharged. He reminded that in line with the global best practices, the country operates a 30-day rule which means a RTC victims should be monitored for at least 30 days and whoever dies within 30 days after the crash, is recorded to have died through RTC involved in.

Assistant corps marshal Olagunju also advised hospitals against rejection of victims of accidents. He informed that it is illegal for any hospital to reject accident victims and that the fines for this is N50,000 only and or six months imprisonment.

He reiterated the importance of the RTC victims getting prompt rescue and care as the bulk of the victims die within one hour of the crashes, known as the golden hour. All hands must be on deck to ensure that the victims are well managed within the golden hour.

Olagunju further called for continues collaboration of all agencies in traffic management in the zone, even as he believed that the umbrella body on RTC data management, the National Crash Report Information system (NCRIS) comprising all the key stakeholders on data will enhance the credibility of the data in Nigeria and also better traffic management and planning.