World Day of Remembrance: UN, FRSC Warn of Rising Road Deaths, Call for Urgent Action

OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos

As Nigeria joins the global community to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, the United Nations and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have raised fresh concerns over the alarming rate of deaths and injuries caused by road crashes across the country and the African continent.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, and the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr. Shehu Mohammed (mni), described road traffic fatalities as a “pandemic of sorrow” claiming millions of lives and livelihoods annually.

Citing the 2023 WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety, the statement revealed that an estimated 1.19 million people die and 50 million others are injured globally every year due to road crashes, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the greatest burden. In Africa, road traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death among people aged 5 to 29, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

According to the UN and FRSC chiefs, each life lost “is not merely a statistic but a story and a promise cut short.” They warned that Nigeria continues to lose countless young people, parents, and productive citizens to crashes that are “preventable, not inevitable.”

“Every life lost on the road is a talent taken too soon—a leader, innovator, teacher, or builder whose potential is never realised,” the statement read. “When a child dies, a playground becomes empty; when a parent dies, a home falls silent.”

The two officials expressed concern that weak laws, inconsistent enforcement, and the casual use of the word accident contribute to the normalization of deaths on the road. They stressed that every crash has a cause, and every injury leaves a lifelong impact.

The statement also paid tribute to emergency responders, police, paramedics, and medical personnel who confront the aftermath of road carnage daily, describing them as heroes whose efforts cannot replace the need for safer roads.

As part of the global theme “Remember. Support. Act.”, the UN and FRSC urged Nigerians, policymakers, and communities to intensify efforts toward road safety. They outlined key priorities, including:

Raising awareness that safety is a shared responsibility;

Enforcing traffic laws consistently, especially on speeding, seatbelts, helmets, and child restraints;

Improving infrastructure, including signage, pedestrian crossings, lighting, and road markings;

Providing emotional, medical, legal, and financial support to victims and their families;

Strengthening government investment in safer streets and public education.

They emphasised that every act of caution by road users contributes to saving lives. “Your speed matters. Your attention matters. One second of responsibility can prevent a lifetime of pain,” the statement said.

Calling for firm political will, the UN and FRSC leaders noted that “the cost of inaction is measured in lives, and the cost of indifference in tears,” urging leaders to prioritise road safety as a national development issue.

They concluded with a tribute to victims and survivors: “Your grief is seen, your sorrow is shared, and your loved ones are not forgotten. Their memory must inspire action. Not tomorrow, not later, but today.”