Agency pledges to reduce Nigeria's high rate of accident-related deaths

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has revealed the exact number of daily deaths from automobile crashes worldwide to be nothing less than 3,200.

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Commission Marshal, revealed this while speaking at a news conference to mark the 2015 Africa Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims on Thursday in Abuja.

The event was tagged: "It is time to remember - Say No to Road Crime’’.

Oyeyemi said the agency was working with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) to reduce the current trend of 161 deaths per 10,000 vehicles.

READ: FRSC, Ogun sector, set to reduce crashes by 20%, fatality by 30%

He added that the goal is to put Nigeria among the league of the global 20 safest countries in the world by 2020.

"Reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that not less than 3,200 people die daily on the world’s roads, with tens of thousands being disabled for life."

"This has attendant consequences on the nation’s economy."

"The FRSC shares the pains of families and friends of accident victims and shall leave no stone unturned in its search for solutions that could address the menace."

Last month, a report from the World Health Organization(WHO) showed that Africa has the highest number of accident-related deaths, 26.6 annual traffic deaths for every 100,000 citizen.

The agency went on to stress the need for safer roads, and vehicles by making four recommendations.