SPEED REDUCTION: PANACEA TO ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES IN NIGERIA
By: ©Eric Sixtus Ibe
Introduction
The World Health Organization Road Traffic Injuries fact sheet (2015) identified speeding as a major risk factor responsible for high rate of road traffic crashes. Road traffic crashes are the collisions which occur when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, trees, poles or other stationary obstruction. Such collision or crash often results in property damage, injuries or worst, death. Speeding related crashes can occur when drivers are travelling at speeds clearly in excess of the legal speed. Also, crashes can occur when drivers are travelling at a legal speed, but local conditions warrant a lower speed. Hence, this composition suggests guides for reducing speed
and inappropriate speed choice. For it is better to be late than be dead on time (Chaucer, 1386). It is better to arrive late than to risk one’s life speeding to a destination.
The problem
The number of recorded crashes in Nigeria is relatively high. According to the federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Road Traffic Crashes January to June Report of 2016, it was revealed that there were 4809 crashes in the first half of 2016. Let’s do the arithmetic, these months contained a total of 182 days, this invariably means that there is a minimum of 26 crashes per day in our beloved country Nigeria, these are not just numbers, these are human lives put at the risk of death, injury and loss of properties.
Set objectives
Identifying speed reduction as an essential contributory solution to road traffic crashes in Nigeria, what are the strategies to achieve this? This guide will suggest objectives/strategies to this purpose. Set objectives include Engineering- speed limits/speed limiters, driver education and enforcement.
· Speed limits and Speed Limiters (technology/engineering)
In Nigeria, the speed limit for commercial buses is 90km/h, but the FRSC have stated that speed limit device should be calibrated to 95km/h. This is commendable and suits the commercial buses, but care must be taken in implementing speed limits. Setting appropriate speed limits will involve considering the roadway to meet with driver expectations, this will help improve driver respect for speed limits. Hence, speed limit for vehicles should be reasonably practicable based on the type/purpose of the vehicle and roadway (Milliken et al, 1998).
Speed Limiters device/technology helps regulate the maximum speed of a vehicle. The device if installed in mechanical or electronic engines of vehicles plying our roads, will detect how fast a vehicle is driving. In event of over speeding, the device helps restrict the flow of fuel and air into the engine, thereby regulating the vehicle to the pre-set speed limit. Despite the fact that the FRSC declared full enforcement of speed limiters by January 2017, yet just a few people are aware of this device and its benefits.
Nevertheless, full enforcement should be accompanied with severe measures because “tampering of speed limiters” Is still a major problem associated with it, even some advanced countries like Australia, U.S.A, and U.K still experience this.
Strict measures and penalties should be implemented against “tampering”. Such measures should include training of FRSC officers on how to detect tampering and recognize speeds above recommended limits. Speed camera devices should be installed in roadways and patrol vehicles, which can sense and calculate speeds of vehicles within its radar (Lahm and Kloeckner, 1984).
Also, traffic control devices and pavement markings should be used to communicate appropriate speeds, such as permanent speed limits and warning speed limits (Griffin and Keinhardt, 1995). This information should be conveyed clearly to drivers at appropriate locations. This is essential because even though drivers have the responsibility to drive at a safe speed, they need to be able to receive clues from the environment as to what that safe speed is.
· DRIVER EDUCATION
Heightening driver’ awareness that it is better to arrive late than to risk lives speeding to a destination. Informing drivers of the risk associated with over speeding, both to themselves and to other road users will encourage drivers to obey speed limits and drive at speeds safe for the roadway environment. Increasing driver awareness is an important element in reducing speeding related crashes.
A driver education campaign can also reduce perceptions, people have in regards to speeding, making drivers aware of the monetary and safety related costs of speeding can be an effective approach in reducing speeding-related crashes.
· ENFORCEMENT
Speed enforcement plays a major role in restricting drivers from traveling at excessive speeds, thereby reducing road traffic crashes. The use of available funding and enforcement officers needs to be as efficient and effective as possible.
The more a driver is exposed to law enforcement presence, the less he/she is likely to speed (Armour, 2012). The presence of more FRSC officers will heighten drivers’ consciousness of recommended speeds.
Current technologies can also be used to deter drivers from speeding, and document them while traveling at speeds in violation of the posted speed limits. These technologies include speed cameras and photo radar.
Establishing Neighborhood Speed Watch Program will also go a long way to encourage safe driving and reduce road crashes. This will address the issue of speeding along residential streets.
Drivers should be aware that the neighborhood speed watch will report them to the nearest establish authority, once their vehicle details and numbers are taken note of.
Ultimately, the goal toward which the objectives and strategies are directed is to improve safety by reducing incidence of speeding and inappropriately high speeds. Although the above strategies of speed reduction combined in this article involve the elements of engineering, education, and enforcement, to which the article is limited. We must however note that, no matter the technique deployed, we all have a responsibility to drive in a safe manner, not to endanger our lives and the lives of others. For it is better to be late than be dead on time, remember “safety first, safety always”.
REFERENCES
Data from World Health Organization estimate 2015.
The manual on uniform traffic control devices (2003)
http://www.muted.fhwa.dot.gov
http://www.iihs.org/safety-facts/safety.htm
http://www.saferoads.org/index.htm
http://www.safety.transportation.org
http://www.speedlimiter.frsc.gov.org/vendor.php
http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov