CAUSES AND CASUALTY BURDEN OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ALONG LAFIA-NASARAWA EGGON-AKWANGA ROAD BETWEEN 2010-2015

Abstract

On May 2011, the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the years 2011 to 2020 as the decade for road safety, and urged member countries to examine the impact of road accidents and develop strategies to reduce them. However, understanding the impact of road accident, especially in developing countries, is hindered by availability of data as well as its quality. It is just a year to the end of the decade, how do we fair in Nigeria? This study assessed the causes and casualty burden of road traffic accident in Nigeria with a micro focus on Lafia-Nasarawa Eggon-Akwanga Road, in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The design relied on analysis of secondary data collected from the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and the Police Motor Traffic Division (MTD) between 2010 and 2015. The findings revealed that human causative factors that ranged from over speeding, route violation, dangerous driving, and wrongful overtaking, were major causes of road traffic accidents along the road. Victims were mostly males; the difference in casualty burden was elevated by the magnitude of injury. The mortality rate revealed a yearly increase. Based on these findings, recommendations include proper road maintenance, massive enlightenment of drivers and road users by the FRSC, enforcement of road safety laws and speed limits, and ensuring the road worthiness of vehicles, among others.