CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of Study

Nigeria ranked as the country with the second largest road network in Africa in 2011.It population density which varies in rural and urban areas (approximately 51.1% and 48.3% respectively) translates to a population-road ratio of 860 persons per square kilometres showing intense traffic pressure on the available road network [1].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 travellers. 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 [2]. 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[3].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[3].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.

1. Statement of 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 lead 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. The road traffic offence information sector should not be left out, because an increase in the use of improved information management technology has greater advantages, where process of collecting, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of road traffic offence information for the purposes of planning, controlling, coordinating and decision making are not in tone with times. The existing system of road traffic offence gives no room for pictorial identification of offenders. Hence wrong person could be accused. The system is decentralized making road traffic offence information manipulation and accessibility of the database difficult. Also the system has no room for pictorial diagram display of the offence committed, as well as the penalty of offence as an evidence to facilitate prosecution. Hence the offender often sees himself as being compelled to accept responsibility.

1. 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:

• Centralised road traffic offence information databanks where road traffic offence information can be easily accessed by all authorised user.
• Reduce error in offenders’ identification, as lots offenders escape offence due to wrong identification (pictorial identification) during and after documentation which makes prosecution of offenders’ difficulty.
• 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.

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