Road transport data released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that in Q2 2021, Light/Sign Violation was the second leading cause of road traffic accidents in Q2 2021, trailing only Speed Violation. According to the data, 440 of the 3983 road traffic accidents that occurred during the period were caused by a light/sign violation.
One out of every nine road traffic accidents in Nigeria was caused by a light/sign violation. The data also showed a similar trend in Q1 2021 and Q4 2020.
A review of road traffic data for Q1 2021 and Q4 2020 revealed that light/sign violation was the leading cause of road traffic accidents, though the record for Q2 2021 was the highest of the three periods. For example, in Q1 2021, one out of every 17 road traffic accidents was caused by a violation of a sign/light, whereas in Q4 2020, one out of every 11 road accidents was caused by a violation of a sign light.
A further examination of road accident data across states reveals that in at least 5 states in Nigeria, more than 20% of road accidents are caused by light/sign violations. Enugu state tops the list, with 50% of its road traffic accidents caused by light/sign violations.
Traffic offenses are punishable under Sections 10(4) and 28(2) of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (Establishment) Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012. One of the 37 traffic offenses made possible by this act is light/sign violation, which carries an N2,000 fine.
Samuel Ugbede, a bolt driver shared the same sentiments that light/sign violation is one of the major causes of road traffic accidents, especially in Abuja. Samuel noted that often motorists are impatient while using the road which makes them beat traffic lights or not observe road signs which could lead to accidents.
Besides impatience, Anga Mercy, a private road user said a lot of road users are not aware of basic road traffic signs. She recounted how on numerous occasions she has seen motorists halt on the zebra crossing before the traffic lights. And on two occasions this has led to knocking down a pedestrian. Normally, pedestrians are afforded precedence over vehicular traffic, although the significance of the markings may vary by jurisdiction.
In response to the implications of the increasing number of road traffic accidents caused by light/sign violations for insurance, Mr Uche of Cornerstone Insurance stated that claims from third-party insurance holders are not honoured when damages are self-caused. When a claim for damage is made in third-party automobile insurance, a police report detailing the cause of the accident is demanded from the insured for reasons such as an insured demanding claims for violating road traffic rules. According to him “ if such a report states that the insured is at fault then his claim will not be paid.” He went on to note that “although an insured might still be paid his full claim if he has comprehensive insurance and does not state that the damage to his vehicle was caused by him deliberately.”
Although the penalty for light/sign violation at N2,000 might be affordable to many and a lot of motorists might have acquired comprehensive automobile insurance, road users should still have a thorough understanding of these signs and obey traffic lights because it will make the usage and interaction with highway facilities safer for everyone.