APRI Advocates for Emergency Response Centers Nationwide

The Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative (APRI) has urged all 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to urgently establish Emergency Response Centers (ERC) to improve rescue outcomes for victims of road traffic accidents. Ambassador Fide Nnadi, the Executive Secretary of APRI, stated that 70 percent of deaths from road accidents occur within the first 60 minutes after a crash, emphasizing the critical need for timely medical assistance.

Currently, the lack of capacity to respond within this crucial window significantly reduces the chances of survival for victims. The ERCs would operate 24/7, dispatching ambulances and fire trucks to reduce response times, which can currently exceed two hours in urban areas.

Nnadi highlighted that 90 percent of road crashes occur on state and FCT roads, yet there is a lack of regular review and implementation of road traffic safety policies. The establishment of state road traffic safety councils is also recommended to support data-driven crash prevention efforts.