The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed that more than 40,000 people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes in Nigeria. This was made known by the Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, during activities marking the 7th United Nations Global Road Safety Week in Abuja. Biu stressed that road traffic crashes and injuries contribute to a significant cause of death and disability in the country. Globally, as many as 1.3 million people lose their lives, with 50 million people getting injured each year. Biu explained that people between the ages of 5 and 29 years are the most affected by road traffic crashes with one in every four deaths among pedestrians and cyclists. He reiterated the United Nations’ global plan aimed at reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030.
The FRSC is collaborating with the World Health Organization, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety and Injury Prevention to mark the event with various activities. The main theme for the 2023 edition of the event is “Sustainable Transport”. Biu called on all levels of government and stakeholders to provide access to safe and affordable mobility systems for all to ensure safety at all costs. He further urged the government to have resilient, low, sustainable mobility systems to create livable cities that would fulfil the mobility needs of all.
The Focal Person/ Country Representative of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, Prof. Sydney Ibeanusi corroborated Biu’s claims. According to him, Nigeria has a better system, and the country was chosen to improve cycling, with Abuja selected as one of the five states globally for project implementation to encourage cycling. He added that they would not relent in their efforts to make cycling a viable means of transport in the country.
The 7th UN Global Road Safety Week is centered on sustainable transport with the slogan #RethinkMobility, which advocates for the urgent need to shift to walking, cycling, and using public transport.
