Parents Beware: 186,300 Children Die From Road Accidents – FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Commission says no fewer than 186,300 children are killed globally by road accidents every year.

The Zonal Commanding Officer, FRSC 2, Ojodu, Lagos, Assistant Corps Marshal Charles Akpabio, said this at an event on Monday.

The event was to mark the 2015 United Nations Global Road Safety Week, themed, ‘Children and Road Safety’.

Akpabio, who noted that the programme was to reduce children’s vulnerability to road accidents, said the government must also enhance road infrastructure to curtail crashes.

He said, “In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly said a programme must be launched to cut down the deaths of children by avoidable road accidents. Nigeria as a signatory has therefore joined.

“This will translate to saving five million lives in the country lost to road accidents. We have a huge children population and it is this category that is most vulnerable to road crashes. So, there is the need to make them safe at all times.

“Annually, 186,300 children die from road accidents. This translates to 500 children every day. In order to reduce this trend, the UN brought up safety factors to implement on our roads.”

Akpabio enjoined parents and guardians to restrain from making children young drivers, adding that it was an offence under the law.

He said, “The factors to consider in reducing road crashes are: controlling speed, reducing drinking and driving, using helmets for motorcycles and restraining children in vehicles.

“There is also the need to enhance road infrastructure. This is a step to be taken by the government and the community. Parents must reduce the risk of using young children as drivers. There are parents who make children less than 18 to drive out of love. It is against the law.”

In his opening remarks, the Sector Commander, Hygenus Omeje, said the FRSC, as a lead agency in road management, was spearheading the UN’s efforts on safety rules and also partnering with several non-governmental organisations.

The Coordinator of Safe Kids Initiative,a non-governmental organisation at the event, Lord Wilson, advised the government to put children into consideration in its road policies.

Source: