A data from the Federal Road Safety Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that at least 21,509 lives have been lost to road accidents in the past four years.
In 2021, the NBS reported 6,205 fatalities, while the FRSC recorded 6,456 deaths in 2022. For the first nine months of 2024, the FRSC recorded 3,767 deaths, bringing the total for 2023 to 5,081.
FRSC spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide, who made this disclosure noted that several factors contribute to the alarming numbers, including a lack of adherence to traffic rules by commercial drivers.
“Some commercial drivers do not adhere to rules such as speed limits or vehicle maintenance schedules, due to poor enforcement and lack of awareness,” Ogungbemide explained.
He also highlighted overloading as a major issue.
“Despite regulations, overloading remains a common problem, contributing to road crashes and reducing the effectiveness of existing measures,” he added.
Ogungbemide emphasized the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, enhanced public awareness, and better road infrastructure to reduce the growing number of road-related deaths.
Road safety expert Jide Owatunmise also offered his advice, stating that individuals with little or no knowledge of traffic signs, road markings, or rules should not be permitted to drive.
“There should also be effective and uncompromised consequence management for road traffic violators and those who cause accidents,” Owatunmise advised.
