THE IMPACT OF BIO-DATA OF DRIVERS ON THE LEVEL OF ROAD ACCIDENTS IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF ONITSHA-OWERRI HIGHWAY)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The occurrence of fatal road accidents in Nigeria is alarming. Road accidents in Nigeria overtime have witnessed an unprecedented geometric rise. This has been a major concern to both the populace and the government, this is because a lot of properties loved ones and other valuables have been lost as a result of this malady. Road accidents don’t just occur, they are caused. Given the fact that Nigeria has one of the highest road accidents rate as well as the largest number of death per 10,000 vehicles (Bala 2010), one may be prompted to believe that the level of awareness on the major causes of road traffic accidents is very low among Nigerians. On the contrary, however; Okoro (2010) has shown that Nigerians a well informed on the major causes of accidents. Accidents are
defined as anything that happens by chance or anything occurring unexpectedly; Odegbami (2011). Road traic
accident is therefore an unexpected phenomenon that occurs as a result of the use of vehicles on highways. Accidents can either be fatal; it is fatal when it leads to death of the victims or minor when victims sustain serious injuries whether physical or mental. The dividing line between fatal and minor is however thin. As it has been defined, accident would scarcely give warning although careless drivers should anticipate the consequences of their recklessness. In total, accidents do not just occur but they are majorly brought about by human carelessness, recklessness or negligence. Even when the immediate cause of a road accident is traced to mechanical factor, carelessness in the form of omission to check and maintain the vehicle at the right time would have scarcely contributed. Constant checking and maintenance of the vehicles could avert and imminent accident. Road accidents also occur as a result of one of the following factors: Human factors; Vehicle
factors; Road and environmental factors according to AUSTROADS (1995). Driving faster or slower than the flow of traic-which may or may not come with the posted speed limit-has majorly been demonstrated to increase the likelihood of crashes, as shown by the Solomon Curve (OOIDA,2003).The factors of traffic accidents are drivers, the highway and motor vehicles (Aaron 1999). Most traffic accidents involve the three elements. Most road traic
accidents involve motor vehicles (Stutts and Hunter, 1999). A high proportion of road traffic accidents can be apportioned to bad roads and unsafe human acts. The drunken drivers of motor vehicles make the clearest example (Hijar et al., 2000).
