Statists have revealed that men topped the list of fatalities in road crashes in Sokoto state between January to September 2024.
The statistics, obtained from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sokoto revealed that 450 men were involved in the accidents.
Surprisingly, only 25 people involved in these accidents were women, 14 were boys, and 6 were girls, an officer of the FEAC R/S 10.1, Sokoto Command, Mr Adigun Kolade said.
Based on WHO data, males are typically three times more likely to be killed in road crashes than females.
Insights obtained from the website of the WHO Africa region revealed that 73% of all road traffic deaths occur among young males under the age of 25 years who are almost 3 times as likely to be killed in a road traffic crash as young females.
Speed violations have been identified as the leading cause of road traffic crashes in Nigeria between 2020 and 2022.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its 2023 Social Statistics Report said that road accidents caused by speed violations totalled 18,386 over the three years, with 5,472 incidents in 2020, 6,336 in 2021, and 6,578 in 2022.
Similarly, the FRSC recently disclosed that 90 per cent of crashes in Nigeria were caused by speeding.
In January 2024, from Sokoto to Bodinga, 39 people were involved. Of these, 30 were men, four were women, 3 were boys, and 2 were girls.
In February, 151 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Gusau. There were 131 men, 10 women, 5 boys, and 4 girls.
In March, 36 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Illela while in April, 64 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Binji. Of these, 60 were men and 4 were boys.
Furthermore, 27 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Isa in May. There were 24 men, 2 women, and 1 boy. In June, 73 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Goronyo. There were 69 men, 3 women, and 1 boy.
In July, 77 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Gusau. Of these, 72 were men and 5 were women. The FRSC said there were no accidents in Sokoto in August.
In September however, 29 people were involved in accidents from Sokoto to Bodinga. Of these, 28 were men and 1 was a woman.
Musa Muhammad is one among dozens of other residents of Sokoto state who made this alarming statistic.
Musa recalled how he sustained serious injuries after a car suddenly hit him in Gusau while he was coming home from work in the evening, riding on his bike.
“I spent more than a month in the hospital because my hands and legs were broken. Thankfully, the car owner took responsibility and paid all my hospital bills,” Musa said.
Miss Joy Ahmed, who was involved in an accident in September also shared her story.
She revealed how the driver of the vehicle which she boarded, tried to overtake a trailer.
The car which lost control, veered off the road and into the bush.
“We ended up in the bush and I dislocated my right hand. I was treated at Bodinga General Hospital and I am now in recovery,” Joy explained.
In improving road safety, the United Nations has identified increased efforts to make walking and cycling safer as game changers.
“Fewer than 50 countries have policies that promote walking, cycling, and public transport. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists remain dangerously exposed,” UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Road Safety, Jean Todt said in an interview.
On its part, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sokoto state has pledged to sustain efforts at reducing road crashes by 60 per cent before the end of 2024.
The Corps Commandant, Hassan Maikano assured the public that more initiatives are being introduced to enhance road safety and reduce fatalities.
He equally appreciated his team for their relentless commitment to protecting lives and property.
