The United Nations, in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has launched the #MakeASafetyStatement campaign to address Nigeria’s growing road accident crisis.

Jean Todt, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for road safety, stressed the need for everyday responsibility and safer driving behavior during a news conference on Friday in Lagos.

The campaign was first unveiled during the UN General Assembly on Global Road Safety in 2022. Since then, it has been deployed in more than 40 countries, with a target to reach 80 countries and 1,000 cities by 2026.

Mr Todt said the campaign urged small but lifesaving actions, including using seatbelts and helmets and avoiding reckless driving.

He described road deaths as an urgent global crisis, with Africa as the epicentre, noting that crashes kill more people than wars on the continent.

“Over 250,000 Africans die annually in road crashes, representing nearly one in four global victims,” Mr Todt warned.

Highlighting Nigeria’s case, he said the country records nearly 37,000 road deaths yearly, averaging about 100 lives lost every day.

Mr Todt noted that road crashes were the second leading cause of death among Nigerian teenagers and young adults.

He commended Nigeria’s national road safety strategy but emphasised the need for full nationwide implementation.

He further warned that road crashes cost countries around five per cent of GDP, while safe mobility drives economic growth, opportunities, and healthier lifestyles.

Similarly, FRSC corps marshal, Shehu Mohammed, explained that Nigeria had adopted the UN Decade of Action and developed the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy, built on five pillars of the safe system approach.

These pillars include safer speeds, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users, and adequate post-crash care.

He urged Nigerians to obey traffic laws, avoid overloading, speeding, and drunk driving, maintain limits, and wear helmets when riding motorcycles.

Mr Mohammed said achieving behavioural changes could cut road crashes by 50 per cent by 2030, reaffirming FRSC’s commitment to its safety agenda.

(NAN)