Ember Months and road accident

By Niran Abitogun
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A commercial motorcyclist, a.k.a okada rider was killed few weeks ago on the ever busy Express road around Shagari village area, Akure, the Ondo state capital. His three passengers were however lucky to escape death by whiskers but landed in the hospitals owing to various degrees of injuries sustained in the accident.

In another report from the Northern part of the country “no fewer than eleven people were killed while four injured in a multiple accident which occurred in Akwanga-Lafia highway in Nasarawa state during the weekend” these are just few gory reports on major road traffic accidents as they happened on our roads across the country.

There are many Nigerians with the notion that once the ember months set in, traffic accidents are equally on the increase. This juxtaposition seems faulty when analyzing the rate of accidents during the months of September to December. The known causes of accident cannot be tied to these months alone unless there are new development to the structures and infrastructures of roads around the country between Januarys to August. However, this is not the case, other than to situate these ugly incidents to the inability of the road users to obey the traffic rules and regulations. Most drivers have lost their memories on the use of road signs when driving. They just want to drive and drive without consideration to other road users. For instance, driving on the roundabout in Fiwasaye Grammar school in Akure requires extra care. The traffic rule which gives priority to traffic from the left side has been abandoned completely by most drivers. Little wonder therefore, nearly all the beautification rails have been knocked down by these reckless drivers.

Though, many people have argued that some of our roads are not with road signs to guide driving. The use of common sense and adequate driving experience are expected to determine our judgment in most cases.

Currently the only functioning traffic light sign in Akure is the one in Old garage. But the audacity at which the Okada drivers and Taxi drivers disobey the light signal is embarrassing to humanity. Surely this has nothing to do with ember months, rather with the intuition to constantly break the rules because there are no consequences for their action. When the law enforcement agents are not interested in ensuring sanity on the roads nature will definitely fill the gap.

In Ekiti state particularly in Ado the state capital all road users are at liberty to cause infractions on the road. Driving without caution has turned the health institutions in the state into tourism facilities for accident victims. Even the traditional bone setters are not left out in the beehive patronage they enjoyed from the victims that are caught in the web of their recklessness. While many homes are agonizing the pain of losing their loved ones the auto mechanics and panel bitters are smiling to their various banks as a result of the foolishness of the motorists to obey simple rules.  The blame game on ember months is a conjecture emanating from the minds of Nigerians to cover up their inadequacies on the road.

Instead of seeing the causes of traffic accident from the infraction caused by human errors, they looked elsewhere especially the spiritual and metaphysical realms to draw their controversial conclusion.

According to statutory researches and documentations, 80 per cents of road traffic accidents are caused by human factors. Some of these factors include over speeding, overloading, wrongful overtaking, drunkenness, lack of concentration, bad vehicle, etc.  Not until all the negative vices are taken care of by road users the cruxification of ember months may still occupy the centre stage. There are other institutional factors also that lead to road accident such as bad/good road, lack of road signs and other environmental issues.

Can a good road cause accident? Yes. A cursory analysis of the Airport road or Akure-Oba-ile road is a good example of how good road can cause accident. Excessive speeding on the road has landed many drivers and their passengers in various hospitals. Particularly at a spot close to ODEC office, the sharp bend has wrecked many vehicles.

Within the perimeter of this dangerous bends, the Rotary Club misinformed the road users by erecting a road sign which stipulates that drivers can make 80kmph on this road. This sign error must have contributed to the high rate of accidents on this deadly spot on weekly basis. The FRSC or the VIO ought to have gone there to remove this sign post and erect the correct one there with 40kmph in order to check the incessant accidents and from further damaging the electricity poles on the road median.

The Okada riders are impervious, believing that they cannot be involved in any accident. Many of them are actually reeling in pains in the traditional bone setter homes. Unfortunately the lucky ones aren’t learning from the consequences of their fellow riders.

To shift blames on the ember months is to turn history upside down. No matter how, the quest to prevent accidents rest squarely on all road users with the thinking of defensive driving at all time. Concentration and patience are the most important elements that must be observed when driving. To be late is better than be the late. No death has ever stopped the system from working and to arrive at our destination in peace is far better than to get there in pieces.

Instead of blaming the unseen factors in the ember months, let’s blame our driving processes and be more cautious than ever. Accident can be prevented.

Abitogun, (former Sector Commander, FRSC.)Writes from Akure.