The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi, said on Thursday in Abuja that not less than 3,200 people die daily worldwide from automobile crashes.
Oyeyemi made this known at a news conference to mark the 2015 Africa Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims.
The theme of the event is: “It is time to remember – Say No to Road Crime.”
Oyeyemi said the event was in line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020), aimed at reversing the current trend of 161 deaths per 10,000 vehicles.
He added that the trend would be reduced to a level that could place Nigeria among the league of the global 20 safest countries in the world by 2020.
He said: “Reports from the World Health Organisation indicate that not less than 3,200 people die daily on the world’s roads, with tens of thousands being disabled for life.”
Oyeyemi, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal, Ahmed Hassan, said empirical studies revealed that automobile crashes had become one of the leading causes of death of young adults.
“This has attendant consequences on the nation’s economy,” Oyeyemi said.
The Corps Marshal, however, said the FRSC would continue to show commitment to policies and programmes that would address the challenges associated with automobile crashes in the country.
Oyeyemi assured members of the public that the FRSC would increase public awareness on the challenges of road traffic crashes, so as to elicit more public commitment and participation toward safer highways.
The FRSC boss also stressed the need for people to join in the campaign to make roads safer, with a view to reducing incidences of road accidents in the country.
“The FRSC shares the pains of families and friends of accident victims and shall leave no stone unturned in its search for solutions that could address the menace,” he said.
Oyeyemi reiterated the commitment of the FRSC to attaining a level where road deaths would be at zero level and crashes would no longer necessarily lead to deaths.
NAN.