Why Road Accidents Kill More Nigerians Than Most Diseases, by David John Idiong

Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) remain one of the most devastating yet poorly addressed public health emergencies in Nigeria. Globally, RTAs cause more than 1.3 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023). In Nigeria, the situation is even more alarming. Studies by Owolabi et al. (2020) and Adewumi & Aloba (2021) show that RTAs are the third leading cause of death in the country and the leading cause of trauma-related fatalities. Despite this enormous burden, road safety continues to receive inadequate and inconsistent attention from policymakers.

A systematic review of national data highlights a dangerous upward trend in accident rates. From more than 850 road safety studies published between 2000 and 2023, only 15 high-quality works—such as those by Eke (2018), Oluwadiya (2019), and Akinpelu et al. (2022)—were suitable for detailed analysis. Yet they all point in the same direction: rising accident numbers across major highways, urban centres, and rural roads. Nigeria now records about 1,042 deaths per 100,000 vehicles (FRSC, 2022), one of the highest accident fatality ratios in the world.

Nigeria has the largest road network in sub-Saharan Africa, but most of these roads are in poor condition. Aderamo & Atomode (2019) note that many highways have exceeded their original design capacity and suffer from years of neglect. Potholes, eroded shoulders, poor lighting, and weak or non-existent signage increase the risk for every driver and passenger. Research by Umaru (2021) indicates that more than 70 percent of Nigeria’s federal roads require urgent maintenance. In simple terms, our roads are killing us.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is the lead agency for enforcing traffic rules, but enforcement remains weak due to limited manpower, corruption, and inadequate technology. Though Nigeria has laws on helmet use, seat belts, speeding, and drunk driving, compliance is still low. Studies by Nwokedi (2020) and Omeje & Okonkwo (2017) reveal that enforcement is often inconsistent, selective, and easily compromised, which undermines public trust and encourages bad behaviour on the roads.

The vehicles on our roads also tell part of the story. Nigeria is flooded with used vehicles that lack modern safety features. The current importation policy, which permits vehicles up to 15 years old, has worsened the situation. Olukoga (2020) notes that many imported vehicles would fail basic roadworthiness tests if properly checked. Yet the National Vehicle Inspection Scheme mainly focuses on companies with five or more vehicles, leaving out the vast majority of private and commercial vehicles. As Adelakun & Ajayi (2022) argue, this creates a major safety gap in which thousands of vehicles move freely without proper inspection.

Human behaviour remains one of the biggest contributors to road accidents. Ogunmodede et al. (2018) found that more than 60 percent of road crashes stem from human error: speeding, drunk driving, phone use while driving, reckless overtaking, and sheer impatience. Driver education is poor, and licensing processes are poorly regulated, often reduced to mere paperwork. Bello & Salihu (2021) highlight that many commercial drivers have no formal training, no regular vision or health checks, and no exposure to modern safety standards.

Overdependence on road transport compounds these dangers. Rail and water transport remain underdeveloped, forcing both people and goods onto already overstretched highways. Scholars such as Gbadamosi (2019) have long argued that the lack of diversified transport infrastructure places immense pressure on roads that were never designed to carry this volume and weight. The result is predictable: overcrowding, fatigue, frustration, and more accidents.

The impact of RTAs goes far beyond the crash site. Economically, Nigeria loses more than ₦80 billion every year through medical expenses, damaged infrastructure, and lost productivity (FRSC, 2021). Studies by Akpoghome & Orji (2019) show that many victims are young, economically active people—the very group that should be driving national development. Every collision that kills or disables a breadwinner is not just a family tragedy; it is a blow to the country’s human capital.

The healthcare system carries a heavy share of the burden. Nigeria’s emergency medical response remains weak and highly fragmented. Okafor (2020) notes that many accident victims do not receive immediate medical attention. Only three national orthopedic hospitals serve a population of more than 200 million. Research by Ozoilo et al. (2022) shows that inadequate ambulance services, limited trauma centres, poor first-aid response at crash scenes, and long delays in transportation to hospitals all worsen outcomes. People who could have survived with timely care often die on the roadside or arrive at health facilities when it is already too late.

The psychological and social consequences are equally severe. Studies by Ogunyemi & Fakunle (2021) reveal that families experience long-term emotional trauma, financial strain, and social dislocation after losing loved ones or caring for permanently injured survivors. Communities lose students, professionals, traders, and leaders to accidents that could have been prevented with basic safety measures. These are losses that never make the headlines but quietly weaken society over time.

Nigeria’s response to road safety falls short of global standards laid out under the United Nations’ Five Pillars of Road Safety. There is no unified national crash database, as WHO (2023) observes, making evidence-based policymaking almost impossible. Agencies work in silos, coordination is weak, and funding is neither structured nor sufficient. Many roads still lack basic features such as pedestrian walkways, traffic lights, reflective markings, and guardrails, as highlighted by Aderamo & Adepoju (2022). Vehicle standards are weakly enforced, allowing unsafe vehicles to stay on the road. Road users show widespread disregard for safety rules, and awareness campaigns are sporadic and inconsistent. Post-crash response remains one of the weakest links, with research by Ozoilo et al. (2022) confirming that delayed emergency care significantly raises mortality.

Yet, this crisis is not inevitable. It is preventable. Experts such as Peden et al. (2018) and Hijar (2021) recommend a public health approach, which treats RTAs not as random misfortunes but as predictable and preventable events. This strategy requires comprehensive crash data collection, strict enforcement of safety laws, continuous road redesign and maintenance, sustained public education, stronger emergency response, and effective collaboration between government agencies, health workers, media, and civil society.

Nigeria can no longer afford to view road safety as a side issue. Our roads are as much a security threat as armed banditry because they silently claim thousands of lives each year. Policymakers must show the same urgency towards road crashes that they show towards other emergencies. That means investing in safer infrastructure, reforming vehicle import and inspection policies, professionalising driver training and licensing, empowering FRSC with technology and legal backing, and building a functioning emergency medical system that can respond quickly and efficiently.

Every life lost on our roads is avoidable. With the evidence before us, the path forward is clear. By enforcing traffic laws without fear or favour, upgrading dilapidated roads, improving emergency care, and strengthening public awareness, Nigeria can drastically reduce RTA fatalities and protect the future of its people. The question is not whether we know what to do; it is whether we have the political will to do it.

David John Idiong is a PRNigeria Fellow
Email: [email protected]