Road accidents have become a major problem especially in large towns and cities. Responsibility for road safety lies initially with the authority but finally rests on the individual. An effective working partnership between the police, engineers and planners coupled with the individual citizen is necessary for the realisation of effective measures to reduce road accidents. The number of accidents reported in 1987 was 76,882 while in 1986 it was 79,804 i.e. a decrease of 3.66%. In spite of the welcome decrease in accidents, the high total continues to indicate the alarming road accident situation facing the country. Analysis of road accident data will give clues on the causes of accidents and hence several options on accidents and hence several options on improvement can be carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, the traffic engineers must devise ways to reduce road accidents through better planning, design, construction, maintenance and traffic operation. The relevant authorities also shoulder the responsibility of making sure enforcement of traffic rules and regulations are carried out in order to make our roads safer.
Abstract