‘Human errors account for 80% of road crashes in Nigeria’

Federal Road Safety Corps, Special Marshal Joseph Tokulah, said human errors account for about 80 per cent of road crashes in Nigeria.Speaking recently at a forum organised by the Corps’ Special Marshal Unit 34, to discuss ‘Tyre Safety’, which according to him was one of the major causes of accidents in the country, Tokulah said bad roads, mechanical error, lack of maintenance, drug and alcohol abuse, poor vision and over speeding were among the leading causes of accidents in the country.

“Tyres are made of certain chemical components and are not meant to be abused; we have summer and winter tyres made for specific weathers. Winter tyres are not made for Nigerian weather, it is important to take note of all these when buying your tyres,” he noted.

Tokulah advised car owners to read the manual to determine the best tyre suitable for it, saying, “If you have a tyre that has traction A and C, traction A is better grade, it allows a car to stop on a wet pavement in a shorter distance, likewise, temperature A, allows the tyre to dissipate heat.”

He however said an all season tyre called Mud and Snow (MS) was also good for the Nigerian weather. “Maintain a slow limit when driving in the rain, and do not travel long distance at a go, because fatigue causes accident, you must nit use your headlamps to drive, always remember, safer roads, safer lives.”

The unit 34 coordinator, Bola Olupitan, said the lecture was part of the unit’s ‘ember months’ public enlightenment programmes to remind the public about some safety measures, as most people were likely to travel during the festive season.

Assistant corps commander, Ikeja Unit, Wole Odekunle, appreciated the special marshal unit for the step taken to ensure safety of lives on the roads.