CATALYZING ROAD SAFETY IN NIGERIAN CITIES THROUGH AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

The road safety issue in Nigerian cities continues to generate critical concern, marked by an alarming and unprecedented rate of accidents, crimes, and numerous associated socioeconomic costs. Existing literature highlights complex factors including inadequate infrastructure, lax policy enforcement, and unpredictable human behavioural factors contributing to this issue, but fails to integrate the interrelationship of these factors in addressing road safety challenges in Nigeria. Given this, this study establishes the significance of addressing the road safety issue across Nigerian cities through an integrated approach. The objectives of this study are to examine the efficacy of integrating advanced technologies, such as Al and loT, in enhancing traffic management in Nigerian cities, evaluate the impact of policy reforms on road safety, and assess the effectiveness of community engagement initiatives in fostering a culture of responsible road use. This study, anchored on the theory of the Integrated Road Safety Ecosystem, adopted a cross-sectional survey research design to achieve its objectives. An online-based electronic survey was used to comprehensively sample public perceptions on road safety-related issues. The gathered data were analyzed descriptively using mean-weighted analysis. Major findings of this study reveal that the integration of advanced technologies
significantly improves traffic flow and emergency response times. Moreover, stringent policy reforms contribute to a notable reduction in traffic violations, accident rates, and clashes with safety enforcers. Community engagement initiatives emerge as a powerful tool for behavioural change, fostering a collective commitment to responsible road use and crime reduction.