EVALUATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF BAD ROADS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In comparison to other modes such as the transport of air, rail and water networks, the road transport system is by far the most popular way of transport in Nigeria. Studies in recent years have shown that Nigeria has more than 90% of the road transport infrastructure. The outcome was a heightened road accident (RTA) on the road. Compared to previous travel modes, such as the use of human resources and horses, automotive technology has made life easier. Today, road crashes in Nigeria have lost so many lives that no illness is equal to the death rate.This is only one of the detrimental effects of traffic accidents which often cause a lot of injures as well as economic damages with all its repercussions. Nigerian economy despite its harshness, has afforded millions of its population the means to own cars making road traffic a big issue.

Accident is characterized by chance as something that occurs Something unforeseen and undersigned happening. Therefore, the road crash is an unforeseen occurrence that arises because automobiles such as motorcycles and handcarts are using or operated on public roads.Accidents may be fatal, leading to road users' deaths or mild if they are not seriously sufficient to inflict major difficulty.

But the division between mild accidents and severe accidents is fluid. As established, accident will hardly warn of the consequences of their recklessness, while rude drivers would expect the consequences. Inconveniently maintained roads cause collisions in a number of respects, mostly because they pose a huge danger to drivers. In certain cases, a driver may try to prevent a certain situation, such as an accident with a pothole or pooling water

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The failure of successive governments in Nigeria to fix the death traps called roads in Nigeria has no doubt caused so much pain to temporal and frequent road users. The bad roads across the nation are nothing to write home about. Government at all levels must be alive to their responsibilities to make sure all roads in Nigeria are safe and motorable.

poor road conditions could not only contribute to a hollow journey. Roads may deteriorate to the extent of risk. This involves potholes, rough road conditions, cracked asphalt and exposed rebars. If a car hits a big pothole, the tire could burst into another lane and crash into another car. Uneven road surfaces can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, leading to a crash or rollover accident injuring the driver, passengers, and pedestrians.

Failure along Nigerian roads affects both the road users and the vehicles . Some of the effects identified are increased accident rate, increase in faulty vehicles, high vehicle maintenance cost and increase in travel time either due to traffic congestion or due to bad nature of road section. Other effects of bad roads include insecurity posed by criminals at failed sections of roads, risk of flooding and erosion and adverse effect on economic development . As identified by Ndefo (2012) signs of bad road Failures includes: Potholes and Cracks, Depression on road surface, Development of Gully due to erosion, failed road shoulders, Faulty Drainage, Faulty Traffic signals and Street lights and Wiping off of Lane markings .Ndefo (2012) opined that most Nigerian roads are non- functioning according to the standard of a safe road.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the primary objectives of this study;

1. To find out the causes of bad roads in Nigeria.

2. To find out the contribution of bad roads on auto-mobile accidents in Nigeria

3. To find out measures to maintain and keep roads in good condition

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the causes of bad roads in Nigeria ?

2. What are the contribution of bad roads in automobile accidents in Nigeria?

3. What measures have been put in place to maintain and keep roads in good condition?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of significance to the government and the general public because it draws to their attention the contribution of bad roads on automobile accident and measures on how to maintain and keep roads in good condition to avoid accidents and even untimely death

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will focus on the contribution of bad roads on automobile accidents in Nigeria. The respondents will be residents of River states.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Finance has been a major challenge during the course of this study,availability of materials and time constraint has also been a major challenge encountered.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

BAD ROADS: This refers to when a road is not maintained well and kept in a bad condition

AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS: This is when a vehicle collides with another vehicle ,pedestrian,animal,tree,pole etc.this often results in death,injury,disability,property damage .

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