The United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, has urged governments and institutions worldwide to intensify efforts against the rising toll of road crashes, describing the crisis as a “silent pandemic” that must not be ignored.
Todt made this appeal during his courtesy visit to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) headquarters in Abuja, where he was welcomed by the Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed.
According to a statement issued by the Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, the UN envoy praised Nigeria’s ongoing initiatives in traffic safety and enforcement.
He cautioned that the impact of road traffic accidents across the world remains devastating, noting that over 1.2 million people lose their lives annually, with millions more sustaining serious, life-altering injuries.
“The global scale of road traffic crashes is catastrophic. This is a silent pandemic that continues to take lives daily. Without bold and coordinated action by governments, institutions, and citizens, the numbers will only get worse,” Todt said.
He highlighted the importance of adopting the Safe System Approach, which promotes awareness, strict adherence to traffic rules, safer road designs, reliable vehicles, and improved post-crash emergency response.
Todt further called for a change in driver behaviour, stressing that disregard for traffic laws remains a major cause of preventable deaths and injuries.
While commending the FRSC for its leadership role and contributions to international road safety campaigns, the UN envoy maintained that more effort was still needed to build on past successes.
He therefore appealed to policymakers, transport operators, and road users to work collectively to end avoidable road tragedies.
In his remarks, Corps Marshal Mohammed reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to tackling road traffic crashes. He noted that the FRSC remains among the few agencies globally with a mandate that combines lawmaking, enforcement, and road safety education.
Mohammed also pointed out that the corps has benefited from consistent government backing, which has enabled it to achieve notable progress over the years.
He pledged that the FRSC would continue to pursue its mission of safer roads and reduced fatalities, while strengthening partnerships at home and abroad to align Nigeria’s road safety agenda with international best practices.