CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the study
Road
traffic administration is a complex and crucial issue as it involves managing
people and vehicles as well as movement of people and properties on the road.
Vehicular movement most often causes road traffic crashes that usually bring
about loss of human and material resources. Road traffic management requires
information on road users’ vehicles and their owners. There is also need for a
good road traffic information management system that is capable of processing
and disseminating of the information as fast as possible to the road traffic
law enforcement agents in order to equip and empower them to discharge their
duties with increased diligence Barron, (2011).
In
Nigeria, law enforcement agents, particularly road traffic enforcement agents
lack access to information on road users especially information pertaining to
road traffic offenders, vehicle and drivers when carrying out their statutory
functions from the duty posts. Nigerian road users’ are aware of these
inadequacies especially if one look at the act of lawlessness by these road
users. Disobedience to Road Traffic Rules and Regulations (RTRs) has reached an
unprecedented level of unacceptability. The lack of information has been a
hindrance which affects the effectiveness of law enforcement agents, and is
therefore no more acceptable if we consider the level of advancement in the
area of information management and technology especially in the area of mobile
computing. FRSC (2010).
This
pressure contributes to the high road traffic offence mishap in the country. In
Nigeria, road transport is the most commonly used by the majority of citizen,
as the easiest option in moving goods and travelers. Despite the important role
played by road transport, the sector has encountered a number of challenges
emanating from poor road traffic offences information management, resulting to
incessant road accidents. Road accidents, resulting from careless driving,
over-speeding and other road traffic offences have resulted to numerous
consequences including deaths, injuries, disabilities and loss of properties,
all of which accelerate to poverty in the country. The death of the most
productive member exerts a devastating impact to the families, pushing many
into poverty with long lasting effect to their children and their community at
large (Blementhal, 2015). The poor road offence information management
situation in Nigeria has reached such an alarming proportion even to the point
of sheer frustration and near helplessness. While many developing and developed
countries have made concerted efforts to reduce road traffic offence through
the adoption of improved management information technology, Nigeria seems to be
lagging behind.
Global
trends in road transportation have shown that efficient and safe transportation
management models are becoming highly dependent on Information and
Communications Technologies (David, 2009). There is need for technological
interventions in reducing road offences and its consequences, road accidents.
Road safety is a global concern not only for public health and injury
prevention but also to improve efficiency in road traffic management (Haddon,
2008). ICTs’ adoption in road traffic offence information management operations
will help to achieve the ambition of drastic reduction in road traffic offences
and road accidents prevalent in Nigeria. The world health organization believes
that these figures could increase by more than half over the next 20 years
unless there is a firm commitment to road safety and accident prevention,
especially in Nigeria, most adults will know of someone who has been killed or
injured in a road traffic accident. It is a dead fact that many of these
accidents and their consequences would have been avoided. Therefore the
Computerized Traffic Offence System will help to keep records of all traffic
offences committed by road users and also maintain the databases of the
commission (FRSC, 2010).
1.2 Statement
Problem
The way and manner motorists use the roads leave
much to be desired. Vehicle drivers take delight in driving on wrong lanes and
even abuse the right of way rules, thereby creating conflict in the use of
traffic, course delay and sometimes accident. This has led to enormous road
traffic offence on our roads particularly in the cities. This is attributable
to poor road traffic offence management. Improved computerized Management
Information Systems is the fundamental and the bedrock for increase in
Information Technology (IT). Because of the importance of the improved
information technology (IT), measures are taken to evolve all sectors of the
economy into improved Information Technology compliant. Below are questions
about student’s results;
a.
How can one
know that a traffic offence has been committed?
b.
How can a
traffic offender be apprehended if he commits a traffic offence?
c.
Will all be
his punishment if caught?
1.3 Objective of Study
As Nigerian road safety agency, FRSC management
embraces the use of computers and information technologies in transport
infrastructure. As the development and implementation of improved technological
systems continue, it is believed that intelligent transport system will provide
an increase in capacity, management and productivity of traditional transport
infrastructure as well as contribution to achieving of other goals such as
improved management in road traffic offence.
This study seeks to design a system that can achieve
the following objectives:
i.
Centralized
road traffic offence information databanks where road traffic offence
information can be easily accessed by all authorized user.
ii.
Reduce error
in offenders’ identification, as lots offenders escape offence due to wrong
identification during and after documentation which makes prosecution of
offenders’ difficulty.
iii.
Displays a
pictorial sketch or diagram of an offence committed as clear evidence to
offenders’ crime. This can also be tendered in court during prosecution.
1.4 Scope
of the Study
The study shall
concentrate on importance of information and communication technology to road
traffic safety management discussions as well as research works on attempts to
improve on road safety management will be reviewed. It shall examine the state
of FRSC and then propose a system to arrest the identified lapses militating
against road traffic offence information management in Nigeria.
1.5 Significance
of Study
With the growth in
information technology, the study offers numerous values to the Federal Road
Safety Commission and any organization that deals with office documentation
data/information. Huge files kept through the manual method in offices will no
longer be there again because information will be stored on the computer with
the help of the Computerized. Traffic Offence System. It will help to keep a
comprehensive record of traffic offence documented.
1.6 Definition of Term
Road
Traffic Offence
This
phrase refers to any act that causes or liable to cause violation of road
traffic rules and regulations. Road traffic offence is an action taken or
action not taken that violates road safety rules and regulation. For instance
not reporting a road traffic accident is a road traffic offence.
Information
Technology
This
term also called information system refers to a set of interrelated components
that work together to collect, retrieve, process, store and disseminate
information for the purpose of facilitating planning, control, coordinating and
decision making. It usually includes hardware, software, people, communication
systems, and data.
Information
and Communication Technology
This
refers to the fusion of Telecommunications, Electronics and Computer
Information Systems used to retrieve, analyze, store, process, transmit, secure
and intelligently interpret digital data either in storage or in transit.
Intelligent
Transport Systems
This
refers to wide area of information based on wireless technology combined into
infrastructure of transport system and the vehicle itself, these systems help
in controlling and managing of traffic flows, reducing of traffic, finding
alternative routes, saving of the environment as well as saving time.
Traffic :
the number of vehicles moving along roads, or the amount of aircraft, trains,
or ships moving along a route.
A highway:
is any public road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but
also includes other public roads and public tracks.
Regulation:
a law, rule, or other order prescribed by authority, especially to control
conduct.
Corps:
The entire working staff in whatever capacity or department excluding appointed
members of the board.
Enforcement
: broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an
organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating,
or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society.