From Classroom to Highway: How TVET Can Reduce Road Traffic Accidents in Nigeria

Abstract

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) remain a persistent public health crisis in Nigeria, accounting for one of the highest fatality rates in Africa. With approximately 40,000 annual deaths and significant economic losses, the impact of RTAs extends beyond health to national productivity and household poverty. Most crashes are attributable to human error, mechanical failures, and poor infrastructure. This article explores how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can serve as a transformative strategy for reducing RTAs. The study adopts a literature-based and conceptual methodology, synthesizing secondary data from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), peer-reviewed journals, and case studies from comparable contexts. A narrative synthesis was employed to organize evidence into thematic areas including automobile technology, emergency response, civil and transport engineering, ICT-driven innovations, and behavioral change. Comparative lessons were drawn from global best practices in Germany, South Africa, and India. Findings suggest that TVET can play a multidimensional role: equipping skilled mechanics and drivers to ensure safer vehicles, training paramedics for rapid accident response, producing civil engineers to design safer roads, and empowering ICT graduates to develop innovative accident detection and traffic management tools. Furthermore, TVET institutions can serve as platforms for fostering road safety awareness and cultural change. The article concludes that integrating road safety modules into TVET curricula, strengthening partnerships with regulatory bodies, and investing in modern training infrastructure are critical for addressing Nigeria’s accident burden. TVET, therefore, offers a practical, scalable, and sustainable pathway toward safer roads, aligning with global road safety goals and national development priorities.

Affiliated Institutions

• Maitama Sule University Kano NG
• University of Science and Technology YE
• Kano State University of Technology NG

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