Citation

Adebayo A. J. Traffic Med. 1985; 13(1-2): e15.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Accidents on Nigerian roads have reached such epidemic proportions that adults are more liable to die on the road than to perish from communicable diseases. However, unlike communicable diseases, there are no immunizations against road accidents. A 1973 study suggested that Nigeria and Uganda had the highest automobile fatality rates in proportion to automobile registration in the world. The causative factors in these accidents can be explained in terms of the "epidemiological triangle"--the host, the agent and the environment. These three factors, namely the vehicle, the driver and the road, interact together to produce the road accidents. In an attempt to reduce the motor vehicle death toll, authorities are considering such measures as mandatory safety education for all drivers, stricter traffic laws, and a clampdown on drunken drivers. Also being considered are health examinations, including eye tests.

Language: en

Keywords

Drivers; Drunk driving; Epidemiology; Fatalities; Nigeria; Traffic regulations; Traffic safety education; Crash causes; Traffic crashes; Vision; Drunk drivers; Traffic laws; Medical examinations and tests; Driver vision