13th September, 2011
I congratulate the FRSC management for its initiative in enhancing the driver’s license in Nigeria.
However, on the medical certification that has been included in the scheme, I have great doubts if it will be very effective for reducing road accidents.
For instance, there is no established statistics or known study that drivers that are diabetic account for a high percent of road crashes in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. In addition, the cost to drivers would be very expensive and this may just encourage corruption in the issuance of such medical certificates.
Reducing road traffic injuries world over has nothing to do with whether or not a driver is diabetic. On what works for improving road safety, the WHO has done very well by recommending a set of known and tested interventions. As such, what is considered very important and relevant at the moment regarding medical intervention is timely response and treatment of road crash victims.
If the FRSC is desirable of addressing road accidents through a medical approach, it’s major concern should be to implement established medical interventions for speedy response to accident victims. The medical issue that is most effective for curbing road deaths is first aid knowledge and application.
The FRSC should follow acceptable global practices like teaching road users first aid application because lack of simple application of first aid has led to thousands of preventable road deaths in most developing countries with weak response to emergencies.
The inclusion of first aid training before granting the new driver’s license will be helpful in reducing road accidents on the roads. Appropriate sensitisation is sufficient to create awareness for people with medical defects like diabetes and it is grossly unnecessary, absurd and illegal to exclude millions of Nigerians with diabetic conditions from driving. This is not done anywhere in the world.
The implementation of first aid training is a recommended practice by most international road safety experts, In Nigeria, this will not only reduce road deaths but generate revenue for an agency like the FRSC.
Mr Osita Chidoka and the management of the FRSC should know better that first aid administration is a major reason for establishing the road safety commission. However, in reality it is usually difficult for the FRSC rescue or patrol team to arrive accident scenes as timely as necessary.
Evidence abound that road deaths will reduce drastically as soon as the FRSC includes compulsory first aid training for drivers and willing road users.
•Ronke is of the Save-a-life Initiative.