AVOIDABLE FATALITIES ON HIGHWAYS
Regulators could do more to minimise accidents
No fewer than 30 people recently lost their lives when a bus plying Akaeze-Ishiagu highway in Akaeze, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State plunged into Akaeze River. That tragic incident occurred the same week some 13 other persons also lost their lives in two crashes on Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road in Moro local government area of Kwara State just as eight other travellers were killed in another tragic road crash on Lagos - Ibadan expressway. While the affected families were yet grieving over their loved ones, another major tragedy occurred in Felele, along Abuja-Lokoja highway, when a tanker conveying fuel exploded and no fewer than 40 persons were roasted in the inferno.
Last year, 2,699 lives were lost on the roads in Nigeria according to figures from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) which put the number of injured persons at 18,198. In total, the FRSC stated that 5,423 crashes were recorded during the period. With the 2018 World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Status Report on road safety ranking Nigeria high on the list of countries where road crashes are frequent and almost always fatal, the authorities need to do something to avert the situation.
In the Kogi State tragedy, for instance, billowing smoke overshadowed the Felele, Lokoja environs while several innocent children going to school as well as some students of Kogi State Polytechnic, taxi drivers and motorcycle riders were caught in the inferno which gruesomely consumed them. Some parents accompanying their children to school were not spared. Several pedestrians were also said to have been trapped in the fire which caused serious traffic gridlock on the highway. This tragedy was said to have occurred when a fuel tanker heading for Abuja had a brake failure, fell and caught fire. In the past three weeks, there have been two other tanker explosions in Iju-Ishaga and Ifako-Ijaye areas of Lagos respectively where tanker explosions also occurred resulting in inferno which consumed various houses and vehicles.
The penchant of Nigerians to ignore safety standards are underlying factors behind several crashes and explosions. Sad enough, these tragic incidents have continued to occur because no one is held accountable. In recent times, the rate of tanker explosions and attendant wanton destruction of lives and property, for instance, are alarming; yet we are not aware of any stringent measure put in place to avert a repeat of this wave of tragedies. In saner climes, the frequent rate of fuel tanker explosions would have warranted rolling out various preventive measures by relevant authorities, which must be complied with.
That section of the Lokoja road, just like several other sections of different roads across the country, has been bad for a long time. But there was never a proactive decision to fix it until several innocent lives were gruesomely cut short. Aside government failure, Nigerians’ penchant to bend rules, use sub-standard products such as expired tyres, lack of maintenance culture and impatience on the part of drivers are also some of the causes of needless crashes on our roads.
We appeal to various motorists, tanker owners and drivers to observe safety standards in these ember months when the highest rate of crashes often occurs. We also appeal to drivers to exercise the highest level of caution on our highways. In the same vein, we call on the Ministry of Works and Housing to fix all bad roads that can escalate crashes during these ember months while tasking road safety operators to be alive to their responsibilities.
WE APPEAL TO VARIOUS MOTORISTS, TANKER DRIVERS AND OTHERS TO OBSERVE SAFETY STANDARDS IN THESE EMBER MONTHS WHEN THE HIGHEST RATE OF CRASHES OFTEN OCCURS