Sahel Analyst: ISSN 1117-4668 Page 143 APPRAISAL OF ROAD TRAFFIC CRASHES ON THE LAGOS-IBADAN CORRIDOR IN NIGERIA Nwoye,

A comparative assessment of all the modes of transport that people can opt for use day-in-day-out will reveal that road transport is the most complex and the most dangerous. On a daily basis, the world over, almost 16,000 people die from all types of injuries. These injuries represent 12 percent of the global burden of disease, the third most important cause of overall mortality and the main cause of death among 1-40 year olds. The class of injuries worldwide is dominated by those incurred in road crashes. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the factors influencing road traffic crashes and analyse such factors in relation to identified socio-economic indicators and variables in Nigeria with particular reference to the Lagos-Ibadan corridor with a view to developing an evidenced based framework required for policy formulation in addressing road traffic crashes. The study explored relevant primary and secondary data while employing both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. Analysis was carried out using both descriptive and simple average techniques. This helped at the estimation of the various descriptive and inferential statistics used in making decisions relative to the findings and the conclusions of the study. It was revealed that every year from 2010-2016, most of the RTC cases had been very serious and had an increased rate of happening while minor and fatal cases had been relatively average or low over the years. The highest record of RTC was in 2016. It was also noted that the number of adult males involved in road accidents compared to female adults was always higher and the adult male that were injured had its most occurrence in 2011. The number of adult males killed in between 2010-2016 was very high while those of adult females were relatively low. The number of male children injured was higher than the number female children between2010-2012, and then in 2013 it was the opposite. In 2014, the male children injured were then more than the females while between 2015-2016, the female children injured were more the male. During 2010 & 2015, only a male child was killed in RTC. In 2011, the number of male children 1 Department of Management Technology, College of Management Sciences, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. webbercas@yahoo.com 08094243940, 08060766694 2 School of Transport, Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos, Nigeria. 3 Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Ilorin, Kwara State. Sahel Analyst: Journal of Management Sciences (Vol.16, No.4, 2018), University of Maiduguri Sahel Analyst: ISSN 1117-4668 Page 144 killed in RTC was more than the females. In 2012, no children were killed in RTC. Between 2013-2014, only female children were involved in RTC. By 2016, an equal number of male and female children were killed in RTC. With respect to vehicle involvement, the vehicle classes with the highest involvement rate in RTC were cars, minibuses or trucks. Every other vehicle class involved had low rates of involvement. Also, the vehicle categories with the highest rate of involvement in RTC belonged to either private or commercial. Governmental and diplomatic vehicles had little to no involvement in RTC. The current accident rate of 1.8% on the Lagos Ibadan expressway was observed and it is expected that the rate of RTC will be almost 180 in terms of annual frequency by 2020. It was also evidenced that there is a significant negative impact of RTC on the socio-economic indices of the corridor under review. Finally, the FRSC was adjudged as having contributed the highest in the reduction of road accidents in Nigeria when compared to other agencies. In conclusion this study has carefully outlined some major RTC manifestations on the corridor under review. It recommends amongst other things that, concerted plans and procedure should be put in place for constant training and proper certification of drivers. This will remarkably improve their driving culture that will in turn improve safety on Nigerian roads and drastically reduce the rate of road crashes as well as enhance economic development.