Road crashes kill 1.3m people annually – IRF
NAN-H-74
Crashes
By Kate Obande-Okewu/ Jacinta Nwachukwu
Abuja, June 6, 2017 (NAN) Mr Mike Dreznes, Vice President, International Road Federation (IRF), says 1.3 million people die annually with 3,500 people a day on road crashes around the world, and 100 of them are on Nigerian roads.
He said this at the opening ceremony of a three day workshop organised by the Nigerian Institution of Highway Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) in collaboration with IRF on Tuesday in Abuja.
Dreznes, who described the situation as frightening, said the theme of the workshop “Safer Roads by Design’’ was important at ensuring safety on our roads.
“1.3 million people die annually with 3,500 people a day on road crashes around the world, which is frightening and a serious problem because that is equivalent to seven plane crashes in a day.
“Also, 50 million people are seriously injured each year around the world, where 40 per cent are pedestrians and 50 per cent are vulnerable road users, who are not driving, but victims of circumstance.’’
He said that vaccines for road accidents were constructing and designing of five star roads, training five star drivers, five star pedestrians and using of five star cars.
He stated that Nigerians are not using these vaccines because they are not aware of them, but the workshop would enlighten stakeholders on that.
The IRF vice president urged participants to be open to new methods and knowledge that would ensure safer roads in the country.
“Insanity is doing same thing over and over again and expecting different results, we have to do things differently.
“If something is important to you, you find a way, but if it’s not, you find excuse.
“Excuses are tools for incompetency, so our goal is to find a way to make our roads safer in Nigeria, ’’he said.
Earlier, Mr Obiekwe Anaduaka, National Chairman, Nigeria Highway Transport Engineers (NIHTE), said the workshop was timely as the issue of safety on roads was paramount in the country.
Anaduaka explained that at ensuring safer roads there was need for critical consideration of the design, which was the foundation of road construction, urging stakeholders to go back to the basics.
According to him, it was gratifying to note that practitioners will benefit from the training as it will impact greatly towards achieving safer roads by design in Nigeria.
Also, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), said that the theme of the workshop was key to the commission, pledging to meet the demands of ensuring a safe road.
Oyeyemi, who was represented by Peter Osawe, noted that the commission in its capacity would achieve the five star road, vehicles and drivers as they were important to reducing road crashes in the country.
“ We will meet these demands to ensure safer roads for all of us, proffer solutions to all road problems.
“There is a federal road fund bill in the national assembly and we believe when approved, it will provide the much needed five star roads.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that awards of excellence were presented to some participants for their efforts at improving safety on Nigerian roads.
The award recipients were Mr Otis Anyaeji, President Nigeria Society of Engineers, Prof. Danladi Matawal, Director-General Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NIBRRI), Sen. Kabiru Gaya, Chairman, Senate Committee on works, amongst others.
Anyaeji, who spoke on behalf of the recipients, thanked NIHTE for the award, stating that it would spur them to support the institution more and encourage technological development in the country. (NAN)
KTE/JIN/KOLE/AFA
==============
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Felix Ajide