Road Safety collaboration to benefit Nigeria

A friend once remarked that there is no limit to your success if you do not mind who receives the credit. Another said that the secret of his success was that he discovered at an early age that “he is not God”. Perhaps these are 2 of the most important lessons to remember when attempting something as important as raising road safety awareness.

In an earlier post on this blog I referred to the fact that” there are many road safety related websites, bloggers, journalists who have committed themselves to assist Transport authorities in creating awareness of road safety. These individuals and NGO’s believe in the bigger picture, that there are different spheres of expertise in different sectors of society and that we all need to do our utmost to protect the lives of all road users…”

The Arrive Alive Road Safety Website has over the past 5 years worked hard at creating awareness of road safety, especially with a focus towards South Africa. This has included efforts such as the ArriveAlive.co.za group on Facebook as well as the recently developed mobile road safety website at arrivealive.mobi

When approached by a friend from Nigeria, we volunteered to assist in the wider distribution of road safety messages in that region. In a 2007 article on Worldpress.org it was revealed that “It is not just that there are more accidents in Nigeria; it is that the accidents are more deadly. Officially, around 50 percent were fatal in 2006, and that figure has been much higher in other years. Serious injuries are even more common. Out of the 9,114 reported accidents in 2006, 17,390 people wound up in hospital.”

It is perhaps not that well known that several NGO’s and Corporate Companies have been involved in efforts to enhance road safety in Nigeria. I am well aware of the contribution by Chevron towards Arrive Alive Initiatives in Nigeria, and we can only hope that the mobile road safety website at Nigeria.arrivealive.mobi will contribute towards these efforts.

The Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog will strive towards including regular updates on the road safety efforts in Nigeria, and would like to invite all Nigerians and friends from across the globe to add their suggestions and recommendations on these efforts!!

Netcare 911 stats: 456 long weekend collisions in SA

During the past long weekend, from midnight on Thursday 01 May 2008 until midnight on Sunday 04 May 2008, the Netcare 911 call centre dispatched emergency vehicles to 401 motor vehicle collisions and 55 pedestrian collisions totalling 456 collisions throughout South Africa during the 96 hour time period.

Thankfully these numbers are down on last weekends collisions which totalled 590 in 96 hours.

Thursday 01 May 2008: 101 motor vehicle and 20 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 121 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 42 motor vehicle and 12 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 23 motor vehicle and 4 pedestrian collisions.
3) Cape region: 11 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.
4) Mpumalanga region: 9 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.

Friday 02 May 2008: 96 motor vehicle and 15 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 111 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 49 motor vehicle and 7 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 17 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
3) Cape region: 11 motor vehicle and 4 pedestrian collisions.
4) Mpumalanga region: 5 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.

Saturday 03 May 2008: 108 motor vehicle and 10 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 118 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 56 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 16 motor vehicle and 3 pedestrian collisions.
3) Cape region: 8 motor vehicle and 3 pedestrian collisions.
4) Free State region: 9 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.

Sunday 04 May 2008: 96 motor vehicle and 10 pedestrian collisions in SA, totalling 106 for the day.
The four busiest regions were:

1) Gauteng region: 29 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
2) Kzn region: 20 motor vehicle and 0 pedestrian collisions.
3) Cape region: 11 motor vehicle and 2 pedestrian collisions.
4) Free State region: 10 motor vehicle and 1 pedestrian collision.

The stats show that Gauteng was the busiest region comprising almost 44% of the national collision totals.

[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]

NETCARE 911
Emergency No. 082 911

7 Killed, 10 injured in M1 taxi smash

At approximately 19h30 this evening, Sunday 04 May 2008, Netcare 911 responded to a report of a serious collision on the M1 highway above Empire road, Johannesburg.
 
It was alleged that the minibus taxi was returning from a church service in Tembisa when the incident occurred. The minibus taxi was travelling towards Johannesburg, skid marks show that the vehicle veered across the road and side swiped the centre concrete wall that had a steel armco barrier above it. Most of the drivers side of the taxi was sheered off exposing the occupants. Four occupants were ejected at the place where the taxi collided with the barrier, all four died at the scene. The taxi did not over turn but rather carried on driving for about another 400 meters before coming to rest in the emergency lane. A further 3 people died at that location. Paramedics from various services attended to 10 injured commuters, 1 was in a critical condition, 6 sustained serious injuries and 3 were lucky to escape with minor injuries. The driver was one of the people who died at the scene, most of the deceased victims sustained severe blunt trauma injuries.
 
All three lanes of the M1 south were closed to traffic while emergency workers attended to the incident. The fire department used pressurised water to wash the road at the two points. The highway was reopened to traffic just after 10pm.
 
This incident was attended to by paramedics from the private and provincial ambulance services, fire department and the Metro Police and their specialist Accident Investigation Unit.

[ Information provided by Netcare 911 to the Road Safety & Arrive Alive Blog]

NETCARE 911
Emergency No. 082 911