Federal Road Safety Commission

The PATVORA Organisation as a natural partner to agencies dedicated to the development of road safety, identifies itself with the mission of the Federal Road Safety Commission of Nigeria to reduce fatalities on the roads.

The dedication of this site to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was inspired by the recognition that road safety crisis in Nigeria cannot be properly addressed without collaboration and adequate financing of the FRSC. Thus, this site intends to build local and international support for road safety in Nigeria through advocacy and continual reporting of the sterling efforts of the FRSC and the challenges it faces in fatality reduction on the roads.

The site provides specialist advice and strategies to individuals, companies and organisations for direct involvement with the FRSC for road safety development in Nigeria.

This site identifies with the goal of PATVORA’s action centre and advocates in selecting the under funding of the FRSC as an issue of concern which should be made a political priority of the Federal government and top social responsibility of corporate citizens of Nigeria.

If you have any suggestion or views on how road safety in Nigeria can be enhanced, please send a mail to views@patvora.org

If you have any idea on how this site can be enhanced please contact webmaster@patvora.org.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was established by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria vide Decree 45 of 1988 as amended by Decree 35 of 1992, with effect from 18th February, 1988. The Commission (Corps) was charged with responsibilities for, among others, policymaking, organization and administration of road safety in Nigeria.

To prevent or minimize road crashes on the highways
To clear obstructions on the highways
To educate drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways
To provide prompt attention to road crash victims
To conduct researches into the causes of road crashes and methods of preventing them as well as putting into use the result of such researches
To determine and enforce speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles
To cooperate with national and international bodies, agencies and groups engaged in road safety activities on prevention of crashes on the highways.

The Federal Road Safety Commission receives its primary funds from subvention by the Federal Government. This has affected the ability of the Corps to realize most of its laudable programmes. Efforts are therefore being made to encourage availability of road safety funds from proposed user's tax policy, insurance premium, vehicle licenses, fuel, and others.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has been able to evolve a three-tier system for efficient and effective operations. These are:-
First Tier (Regular marshals)
These uniformed men and women are in the employment of the Federal Road Safety Commission. They perform all duties as spelt out under Decrees 45 and 35, respectively, and others assigned to them by the Corps including, and most especially, the reduction of road traffic accidents in Nigeria. They are the strongest and most visible arm of the Corps and are called Regular Marshals.
Second Tier (Special Marshals)
These are men and women are not in the employment of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), but are volunteers of proven integrity who have considerable interest and expertise in road safety. They do not wear uniforms and are neither paid salaries, but are empowered, like the Regular Marshals by the enabling Decrees 45 and 35 respectively, to arrest and prosecute traffic offenders, give lectures, offer research services and advise in their areas of professional competence. Called the Special Marshals, they primarily assist the regular marshals.
Third Tier (Road Safety Club)
Youths in schools and colleges are organized into road safety clubs at the primary, secondary, tertiary and National Youth service Corps (one-year compulsory service after university graduation) levels. Unlike the Regular and the Special Marshal, they are not to patrol the highways. Rather, they are encouraged to imbibe road safety culture from an early age and demonstrate these in their school activities. The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has further developed road safety educational curricula for various grade levels and is presently working with the Ministry of Education to make it a national programme.

Overtime the Federal Road Safety Commission has put in place various schemes to reduce road traffic accidents in Nigeria. These schemes include:-

The Nigerian Highway Code was revised in 1989 to meet local and international specifications of road traffic management and crash control. The result is a culture-related guide for driver education. The well-illustrated Revised Highway Code was translated to the three major Nigerian languages: Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba as well as Arabic. The French version is in the pipeline.

The National Licensing Scheme represents a landmark in the achievements of the FRSC. The success of the scheme, introduced in 1989, has continued to provide a veritable avenue for ensuring a good road safety culture among drivers. The scheme is made up of:-

A very important strategy of the Corps is the education of the public on adherence to road safety rules and regulations, and subtle enforcement of it through arrests and fines. Various radio jingles, television and newspaper advertisements form the bulk of the Corps' enlightenment media. Other innovative varieties include public enlightenment at Motor Parks, Churches, Mosques, and community gatherings.

The National Road Traffic Regulations, harmonized and standardized by the Federal Road Safety Commission, contains the guiding road traffic rules and regulations for a good road safety culture in Nigeria. It also forms the handbook for enforcing the said rules on the nation's highways. An updated 2004 version, which will become operational in Jan 2005, has just been completed.

Another veritable tool of the Corps is the collation and analysis of road crashes and other related data. The bulk of accident data is however collected from the Nigeria Police who have a wider spread in over 2,000 locations in the nation. The FRSC has Command offices in 112 locations in the nation. The finished data are utilized for programme plan and further research activities.

The elements of persuasion, subtle force, fines and prosecution are the components used by the Regular and Special Marshals to enforce all the traffic rules and regulations, including over speeding, over loading, drink driving, and sundry others. The Corps, on all nations' highways, carry out mobile motorised patrols similar to those of the Police.

The Federal Road Safety Commission organised a one-day seminar on night travels in Nigeria on 27 September 2004. The Seminar was necessitated by the need to curb the alarming casualty figures associated with night travels in the country.

The seminar attracted relevant governmental agencies as well as various stakeholders in the road transport industry. Five technical papers were presented by different experts in the road transport sub-sector of the economy, and were thoroughly discussed by the participants. The participants observed among others that there is a high patronage of night buses due to the high demand for mobility, exigencies of commuters business and the multiple taxation extorted by various law enforcement agencies and touts on the road during the day.

The seminar noted with concern that though fewer road crashes occur at night the casualties are much higher than those of the day. These were attributed to the following:

b) Total absence or at the best poor road complementary facilities such as road marking, lightings, warning signs, etc.

c) Deplorable habits of drivers due largely to inadequate training, drug intake, overworking leading to fatigue, “hidden” physical disability e.g. poor vision, etc.

The seminar resolved that while night journeys cannot be avoided, government should put in place appropriate strategies for mitigating the high rate of accidents and casualties through the following:

a) The inclusion of a safety unit headed by a safety officer in all transport companies with more than five vehicles in its fleet.

b) Enforcement of the rest hour regulation. No driver is expected to drive beyond seven hours within a 24hr period.

c) Ensuring that all vehicles journeying at night meet the minimum vehicle safety standard.

d) Making representation to relevant governmental agencies with a view to erecting the necessary directional signs, 24hr service roadside clinics/help areas effecting repairs on deplorable roads, and provision of rest places among other road complementary facilities.

e) Implementation of the passenger manifest scheme aimed at documenting data information on passengers and the maintenance of a data base of road traffic accidents nationwide with the aim of delicensing drivers prone to road crashes.

f) Ensuring adequate education, training and retraining of drivers especially on how to ensure safe night driving through the establishment of national drivers’ schools.

g) Certification and licensing of transport operators using the transport unions as a way of sanitizing the road transport industry, and monitoring night travel regulation compliance.

h) Increased collaborative efforts amongst lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, judiciary, transport operators and other stakeholders on strategies for mitigating accidents.

i) Provision of adequate financial and material resources to enable the Commission perform its functions.

j) To pursue the efforts of the International donor agencies like World Health Organization in designing durable and implementable policies aimed at reducing road carnages.

k) Putting in place appropriate institutional framework for implementing the suggested solutions, and especially empowering, through legislative means, the Federal Road Safety Commission to enforce all road safety rules and regulations.

In conclusion, the Federal Road Safety Commission is appreciative of the efforts of the Federal Government to improve the quality of the nation’s highway through its operation 500 roads.

Nigerian motorists have without recourse to the safety of other road users redesigned the lighting profile of their vehicles by unwittingly fitting extra lights that dazzle the eyes of other motorists. This is risky, condemnable, and must not be allowed to flourish. From 1st of July 2005, officers and men of the FRSC have been directed to remove all such extra lights. Appropriate tariff will be visited on all defaulters.

The truth is that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA is better than what it used to be, but we are still not there yet. I believe that part of the reason why we are not there is lack of resources and inadequate commitment. Unfortunately, in some cases, the better the road the more the accidents because you find a road which is bad and drivers are going Jejeli (gently) and then the road is repaired and smooth and they are going as if they are mad. “The fewer the people that would die from road accidents, the better and Nigerians would begin to appreciate the impact of the Federal Roads Safety Commission. I believe this is possible. "So, when I talk of being able to show results with the FRSC, being effective, delivering service, reducing road accidents from 100 to 80 per month, then service is being delivered".

President Obasanjo's observation in Abuja during a presentation by the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC), tagged Servicom.

The President has raised a committee to review laws governing road traffic in the country as part of his administration's effort to reduce the rising carnage on the roads.

Again her tragic death has brought to fore our response to emergencies. Can we use this opportunity to plan for a co-ordinate emergency response programme? Will it help to form Volunteer groups especially amongst those living near Airports and Strategic Installations? Can the emergency Response Agency organize simulated exercises to prepare those around the strategic areas on their emergency procedure? Can we designate areas of at least 10 km square around National Installations risk zones that requires high alert and quick response from the fire service and other emergency response emergencies? Let us use this opportunity of these deaths to address some of the issues.

Excerpts from “Aunty Julie: Lifebuoy in the Beyond”. This article was written by Osita Chidoka and published in Thisday newspapers on the death of Mrs. Julie Useni in an ill-fated EAS plane crash. The late Mrs. Useni was wife of Lt. General Useni, a Minister of Federal Capital Territory Authority in 1996 when Mr. Chidoka won the NYSC FCT honours award. The PATVORA Organisation as a foremost NGO first aid promoter for road users in Nigeria applauds Mr. Chidoka comments on prompt response for accident victims and believes that Mr. Chidoka is now well positioned to put to practice his initiatives on community rescue efforts given his recent mandate as the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of FRSC, Nigeria's National Road Safety Agency.

Why should we have a Federal Road Safety Agency that pretends it can man all the roads in Nigeria and issue licenses that have no integrity? The Federal Roads Safety agency should be a regulatory agency that will give matching funds to State Safety administrations that will have the function of maintaining presence at all the State roads to ensure safety. The state Licensing offices should be linked with the FRSC as Vehicle registration and Licensing will become a State and Local government matter but with a reporting requirement to the FRSC to ensure a national database and make it easy for People to get new vehicle registration or license when they move to another State. This will effectively provide a second national identity and provide a database for proper car insurance and a source of local car tax to fund transportation needs of the local government. It then means that while your drivers license is valid for use all over Nigeria it can only be an effective identity in the State of residence and needs to be changed once you change your state of residence, same for your vehicle registration, which must be registered at the State of domicile.

Excerpts from “ The President's Betrayal”. A paper presented at the Pre National Dialogue Conference hosted by The Nigeria In Diaspora Organization (NIDO) At The Nigerian Embassy Washington DC On Saturday 19 th February, 2005 by Osita Chidoka School of Public Policy, George Mason University, Virginia, USA. Mr. Chidoka is the present Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission -2007