Traffic Crashes Silent Pandemic On Highways – UN Special Envoy
The United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety, Mr. Jean Todt, has raised alarm over the devastating global impact of road traffic crashes, describing the menace as a silent pandemic on the road that must be urgently addressed through collective action.
The UN envoy stated this during a visit to the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that the situation was of grave concern to the UN, because of the alarming statistics of road traffic crashes worldwide.
Mr. Todt disclosed that more than 1.2 million people lose their lives annually to crashes, with millions more suffering life-changing injuries.
“The scale of road traffic crashes across the globe is nothing short of catastrophic. This is a silent pandemic that continues to claim lives daily, and unless governments, institutions, and individuals take decisive action, the numbers will only rise,” he warned.
He also emphasised the urgent need to entrench the Safe System Approach, which prioritises education, strict enforcement of traffic laws, high quality roads, safer vehicles, and effective post-crash care.
The UN envoy called for drastic shift in road use culture, urging motorists to adhere to traffic regulations, so as to escape avoidable deaths and injuries.
While commending the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for its consistent efforts and strategic achievements in road safety management, Mr. Todt insisted that more still needs to be done to consolidate the gains recorded so far.
He, therefore, urged stakeholders including policymakers, transport unions, and individual road users to rise to the occasion and contribute to ending the needless carnage on roads.
The Corps Marshal, in his response, assured that the FRSC would remain resolute in driving Nigeria’s road safety agenda in line with global standards.
Mohammed said the corps would deepen collaboration with both local and international partners to achieve safer roads for all in Nigeria.
He said that the FRSC was among the few agencies in the world with the unique mandate of combining legislation, enforcement, and education on road safety.
According to him, the Corps has enjoyed robust support from the Federal Government, enabling it to achieve remarkable milestones in its over three decades of existence.
