Road Safety and Vehicular Light Standardization in Nigeria Amidst Ameriacan and UN Regulation Standard (WP.29)

Abstract

Since the first Ford’s Model Ts vehicle in 1908 which has metamorphosis into the present day hybrid vehicles, yearly auto-crash leads to the death of 1.2 million people, injury and disability of another 50 million is challenging. This study assesses road users’ perception and responses to red signal-lights of new/second hand vehicles imported into Nigeria and theoretical review of human vision. Questionnaires were administered to urban road users at public garages, oral interviews with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC, Nigeria) and traffic cops and personal observation at intersections to assess drivers’ perception of red turning signal- lights. The result reveals that 76% of the road users have low perception of red turning-signal and that poor utilization of turning-signal are responsible for 45% intra-urban road crashes. In conclusion, it is recommended that the federal government through the relevant agencies should redefine her stand on the US and World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, WP.29 in the furtherance of road safety crusade in the country.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n5p165