on Public Education shed lights on the activities of the commission in this
interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf
DOES the Corps have adequate catalogue of accidents involving articulated trucks?
Yes. In line with our proactive and intervention strategies, the FRSC had in 2010, rolled
out a compendium of an all-inclusive research on the activities and operational mode of
tankers and trailers in Nigeria. Taking cognisance of the huge contribution of tankers and
trailers to the national economy, our findings in 2010 indicated that about 3,000 tankers
were on the average, involved in wet cargo haulage while the same goes for 1,500
trailers for dry cargo conveyance on Nigerian roads. Further collation of road crash data
involving articulated vehicles, resulted to a publication of a "stakeholders' requirements/
guidelines for articulated vehicles in Nigeria" in the three major languages as part of
measures to achieve optimal impact across the conduct on our advocacy. Through these
publications and other subsequent efforts, our findings indicated that trucks account for
30% of road crashes and 42% of fatalities on Nigerian roads.
What is the average figure for the country?
Our records as at third quarter of 2013 indicate that 973 road crashes were linked with
trucks with 823 deaths and 2,444 injured persons. Under the same period, 6,558
persons were involved with 1,953 trucks also involved. I wish to add here that these
figures show a slight reduction from our data of 2009 (Jan-June) with 1,213 road crashes
which resulted to 965 deaths and 3,220 injured persons, involving 8,024 people and
1,767 articulated vehicles. We are still committed to reversing this trend through the
numerous strategies mentioned earlier.
What is the remote cause of such accidents?
Our studies indicate that the remote cause of such road crashes is due to lack of proper
maintenance of articulated vehicles because brake failure and loss of control account for
most of the crashes. Part of the remote causes can be traced to obstructions by broken
down trucks (stationary) which are often abandoned by owners and constitute serious
traffic hazards at night. Attitude of the driver also plays a major role in these crashes and
this underscores the FRSC concerted efforts through motor park rallies, engagement with
transport union members and other forms of advocacy to engender best traffic conduct
from drivers of trucks.
What is the level of awareness about highway codes among motorists?
Public enlightenment campaigns form part of the FRSC core values, as part of measures
to educate road users on proper use of the highways. The Highway Code is a publication
which the FRSC has undertaken in the three major languages in order to optimise our
efforts towards effective education of road users. In addition, we have executed
numerous public enlightenment programmes on radio, television, newspaper publications
and do on.
Beyond 2014 projection, what has the Corps done in the last 12 months to stem the
carnage on our roads?
In line with its proactive measures on road safety management, the FRSC had set its
2013 strategic goals at 30% reduction in fatalities and 20% reduction in road crashes with
other initiatives to address the menace of road crashes. Interestingly, last year 2013, we
also witnessed improved road rehabilitation and construction across the country. It was
therefore ironical that instead of a reduction, road crashes took an upsurge and this can
be tied to the speed limit violation among road motorists who see the good roads as
direct visa to drive beyond stipulated speed limit. In view of this trend, we in FRSC
believe that it is not bad roads that cause road crashes but bad use of the roads. In
response to this, the FRSC initiated an ongoing advocacy for the installation of speed
limiters on commercial vehicles because our findings indicate that this category of
vehicles account for higher number of casualties in road crashes because of two negative
blends: speed violation and overloading.
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