CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Introduction
This chapter introduces road accident in Nigeria. It discusses about the problem statement, aim and objectives, significance of the study, scope of the study, organization of the study as well as definition of terms.
A road accident refers to any accident involving at least one road vehicle, occurring on a road open to public circulation, and in which at least one person is injured or killed. Intentional acts (murder, suicide) and natural disasters are excluded (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, 2016). Road traffic Accidents (RTA) is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity around the world and it has been discovered that low and middle income countries are the most affected (Krug et al, 2000). Causes of motor vehicle crashes involve the interaction of multiple factors that include people, vehicles and the road environment.
Nigeria has one of the worst scenarios of accident occurrence as it ranked high as one of the countries in Africa with high incidence of road traffic accidents. The level of fatality of road traffic accident in Nigeria is quite worrisome considering the extent of human and material losses suffered as a result of traffic accident fatalities. The situation with road traffic accidents in Nigeria is uniquely high as a result of the overdependence of spatial mobility demand of commuters on the road mode. The road transport sub sector has continued to grow much more than other transport sub sectors in terms of motor vehicles in operation size of road network. Not less than 90% of Nigerian mobility needs in terms of movement of goods and services are satisfied through the mode at the expense of the potential contribution other modes. The over reliance on the road system constitute the creation of unnecessary pressure on the highway in the country which more often than not resulted in regular occurrence of accidents, a situation that has been made worse by their deteriorating condition (Button and Hensher, 2001).