Overspeeding: Portuguese Road Safety Expert Disagrees With FRSC, NBS On Major Cause of Road Accidents, Shares Solution

By: Smart Olawale

… overspeeding is often identified as the lead cause of road accidents in almost all countries, but “the problem is more complex than it looks.”

Several times, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Nation Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have directly or indirectly announced that overspeeding contributes majorly to the bulk of road accidents in Nigeria.

However, a Portuguese Road Safety Consultant, Mr António Pedro Montenegro has maintained that ignorance of road users contribute more largely.

Mr António Pedro who spoke exclusively with HSENations’ Correspondent said he has been studying road for 22 years across four continents, stressed that overspeeding is often identified as the lead cause of road accidents in almost all countries, but “the problem is more complex than it looks”.

On his words, he said, “Per day, we have more than 1 million traffic accidents reported to insurers worldwide, with no tendency to slow down, especially in developing countries.”

He continued that, “I have been following the results of the World Health Organization for over 20 years closely, its good care about the error in values obtained from victims but continues to disregard the skills and knowledge of road users, preferring large investments in infrastructure and new car fleets.”

Mr António decried that while 95% human error is attributed in a road accident, most scientific studies still place less priority on a major cause of Road accident.

Based on his research “with over 5000 car fleet users around the world”, Antonio reiterated that there are three fundamental causes of road accidents are three: 45% of accidents resulting of inability to properly look at or survey the environment; 35% of the road carnages emerge if drivers do not keep safe following distances; and 20% of accidents are caused by a poor or late response to road contingencies.

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Overspeeding, Alcoholism, Smartphone usage and Driver’s ignorance of the law of physics that defines the movement car, according to the certified road safety manager, are just factors that correspond the three fundamental causes of a road accident.

The Way Out

The veteran safety management expert, who was certified by Bureau Veritas, Spain, in HSE and Auditor Traffic Safety ISO 39001 and also trains people and several drivers of organizations on pragmatic safe driving, advised the government and road safety agencies to invest in educating the motoring community on proper road usage.

He said, “I have worked more than 10 times in 5 countries in Africa where I have driven heavy and light cars for several thousand kilometres. The Government and the Authorities (FRSC and others) must have more knowledge than they have.”

“In my opinion, they have been deceived by large world institutions such as the World Bank, WHO, the United Nations, the FIA and others. The infrastructure and the vehicle are responsible for less than 10% of all road accidents that have ever happened.”

He stressed that “Road users if they know more and have better skills, can avoid 99% of accidents”.