A coalition of 40 Civil Society Organization, (CSOs), has advised the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to begin enforcement of speed limiting devices on private vehicles to reduce accidents.
According to the CSOs, enforcing speed limiting devices on commercial and private vehicles will go a long way in curbing speed violations which according to them is a major cause of accidents on the highways.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs in Abuja on Monday, Dr John Yusuf Suberu, Vice president, Coalition of Road Safety NGOs in Nigeria ((CORSAN), Â who decried the high rate of road crashes in Nigeria, stressed the need to take road accidents as an issue that requires urgent interventions.
Quoting the latest data of the FRSC, Suberu, Â who is also the chairman committee, World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, said over 5,320 road crashes have been recorded in Nigeria in the first half 2021 leading to the death of at least 2, 741 Nigerians.
He said, “It is no longer news that around the globe that road traffic injuries cause considerable economic loses to individuals, families and to nations as a whole. These losses  arise from the cost of treatment as well as loss of productivity for those killed or disabled by their injuries and for the family members who need to take time off work or school to care for the injured. Road traffic crashes cost most countries some considerable percentage of their gross domestic product.
‘’Just by the first half of this year, about 5,320 road crashes and 2,471 deaths nationwide were recorded and this can be avoidable if we have more road officials to administer stringent laws on the road irrespective of location.
‘’ It is the first time that the coalition of road safety NGOs in Nigeria will be organizing this important unified event as  directed by the United Nations after identifying with them.
“Therefore , as we are co-opted into this, we pledged our readiness to work closely with all road officials in Nigeria for a drastic reduction of crashes.
“As this year’s theme suggests, ‘’Reduction of Traffic Speeds’’, CORSAN will make conscious effort to ensure that speeds are reduced on our roads especially now that we are in the ‘Ember months’ so as to ensure minimal or no accident are recorded going forward’’.
Dr Suberu therefore called on other road safety related NGOs who are yet to identified with the mother body to drive home its aims and objectives of eliminating road crashes on Nigerian roads.
He added that the body is already working out modalities to contribute its quota in promoting the recommended speed limits in-order to meet up with the 2031 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
