Auto crashes claims 73, 000 lives in 2 years

By Benjamin Omoike, Lagos

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation in Lagos state, Taiwo Salaam, has stated that an analysis of fatal road crashes between 2016 and 2018 in the country shows that 73, 504 lives were lost to road crashes in 3, 075 cases.

He noted that the estimated vehicle population in Nigeria as at the second quarter of 2018 was put at 11, 760, 871, which amounts to 0.06 per cent of the estimated population of 193, 392, 517.

Salaam made the assessment while addressing journalists during a press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja, to kick- start the state’s Vehicle Inspection Service bi-annual safety campaign week with the theme: “Employing technology to enhance compliance and safety on roads.”

He said that in line with the first cardinal focus of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s agenda, the state government has employed the use of technology in line with world best practices in the execution of the project.

According to him, this year’s event is aimed at educating the public on new modes of enforcement in the state, the importance of pre-registration inspection, establishment of computerised vehicle inspection service centres and education on the service of accident investigation unit, among others.

Also speaking, the Director, Vehicle Inspection Service in Lagos state, Gbolahan Toriola, advised motorists against patronising touts for their vehicle documents and steps to take regarding change of vehicle ownership.

The VIS safety week campaign is expected to end on August 11 with advocacy visits to motor- parks, churches, mosques and others.