Assessing the Effectiveness of FRSC Interventions in Reducing Road Traffic Crashes in North Eastern Nigeria

Road traffic crashes (RTCs) remain a major public health and developmental challenge in Nigeria, with the North Eastern region particularly vulnerable due to poor road infrastructure, insecurity, and unsafe driving practices. This study investigated the effectiveness of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) interventions in reducing RTCs across Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba states. Using a multi stage sampling approach, 617 questionnaires were administered to FRSC staff and fleet drivers, of which 570 were valid for analysis. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between FRSC activities and RTCs ((R² = 0.62, p < 0.05), confirming that increased interventions are associated with fewer crashes. Regular vehicle inspection (Mean = 4.21; ranked 1st) emerged as the most effective measure, followed by adequate public education equipment (Mean = 4.19; ranked 2nd), the graduated licensing system (Mean = 4.01; ranked 3rd), and driving school training programs (Mean = 4.01; ranked 4th). Public education campaigns through radio and television jingles (Mean = 3.66; ranked 5th) and traffic signal optimization (Mean = 3.56; ranked 6th) were moderately effective, while pedestrian crosswalk markings (Mean = 3.03; ranked 7th), seatbelt awareness programs (Mean = 2.94; ranked 8th), and motor park rallies (Mean = 1.67; ranked 9th) were least effective. The findings highlight that while FRSC interventions are impactful, their full potential is constrained by resource shortages, uneven implementation, and contextual challenges such as insecurity and the informal nature of motor parks. The study concludes that strengthening enforcement capacity, expanding driver training, diversifying communication channels, and modernizing emergency response systems are essential to sustaining reductions in RTCs and achieving Nigeria’s alignment with global road safety targets of halving traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.