Professor Yusuf Suberu, the representative of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), United Nations Decade of Action on Injury Prevention, has tasked governments to implement a multi-sectoral strategy integrating transport, police, health, and education for safer roads, vehicles, and users.
Suberu made the call in a statement to commemorate the 2024 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) victims on Monday in Abuja.
He said the World Day of Remembrance of (RTCs) victims recognised on the third Sunday of November, honours nearly 3,500 people killed daily in road accidents, disproportionately affecting youth.
He also said that the event paid tribute to road accident victims, aiming to raise awareness among drivers and institutions about collective responsibility.
The World Day of Remembrance for RTCs Victims began in 1993 and was adopted by the UN in 2005.
Suberu, who lamented that youth were disproportionately affected. said road accidents were the leading cause of death for young people globally. He noted that the day had become essential in global efforts to prevent road accident deaths, emphasising the need for holistic government approaches.
He said “accidents, as an unfortunate event, have negative impact on the families both emotionally and economically.”
According to him, most of the victims are youths and males. The effect on the country is enormous as many times, it pushes the families into a struggle for economic survival.
“This year’s date is Sunday, Nov. 17. It aims to remind governments and individual members of society of their responsibility to make roads safer.
“It is a high-profile global event to remember the many millions who have been killed and seriously injured in road accidents.
“We believe injuries due to traffic accidents can be prevented. There is a need for holistic approach by governments to address road safety holistically.
“Involvement from multiple sectors such as transport, police, health, education, is required and necessary to enact measures that address the safety of roads, vehicles, and road users,”
Suberu lamented that deaths and injuries due to traffic accidents were sudden and traumatic events adding that the impact was long-lasting.
He urged stakeholders to promote responsible driving and reduce road casualties while emphasising the need for collective action to prevent road accidents.
“The theme for this year’s world day of remembrance for RTC Victims is ‘That Day’, and the theme was carefully crafted to tell the stories of “That Day” when traffic collisions stopped or changed the course of the victim’s lives forever.
“Unfortunately, most all of us are connected to someone who’s been injured or has even died as a result of a RTC.
“Cars, trucks and buses are such a common presence in our everyday lives that we forget the number of people seriously affected when collisions or accidents occur.
“All hands must be on deck. We need to stick to rules and regulations of road safety and more challenging is to ensure adherence of the same.
“We also need to bring more awareness about the consequences of traffic accidents,” he said.
(NAN)
