•FRSC on patrol
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that it recorded 135 road crashes that killed 61 people in its special patrol operations during the Easter and Sallah celebrations.
FRSC Corps Marshall Dauda Ali Biu, while briefing journalists yesterday in Abuja, noted that the numbers fell short of what was recorded in 2023, during the same festive periods.
According to him, in 2023, the FRSC recorded 234 crashes which amounted to 138 deaths.
He said: “During the 2024 Easter Special Patrol period, the Corps recorded 62 road traffic crashes. This is against 107 in the same period of 2023, representing a 42% decrease.
“These crashes involved 417 people in 2024, in contrast to 705 in the previous year, also indicating a significant reduction of 40.9%.
“The analysis also shows that of the aforementioned crashes, the Corps also recorded a reduction in fatalities as 33 victims were killed in 2024 against 81 killed in the same period in 2023. This represents a 59.3% reduction.
“In 2023, the Corps recorded 127 road traffic crashes, this number was reduced in 2024 to 73 representing a 42.5% reduction.
“In addition, while the total number of people killed in 2023 was 59, people killed in the same period in 2024 reduced to 28, signifying a drop of 52.5%.
“In 2023, a total of 772 people were involved in aforestated crashes, while 466 got involved in 2024 representing a 39.6% reduction.”
On the number of those injured, he said the Corps recorded 334 people rescued with injuries in 2023, as against 225 recorded in 2024; while in 2023, 379 victims were rescued without injuries, the figure reduced to 213 in 2024 representing a 43.8% reduction.
Also, he said the Corps arrested 5,629 offenders in 2023, which reduced in 2024 to 4815 signifying a drop of 14.5%, adding that “these offenders committed 6,654 offences in 2023 while in the same period of 2024, they committed 5721 representing a 14% decrease.”
As part of the Corps’ reforms, he disclosed that the Corps had commenced prosecution of recalcitrant drivers through mobile court operations in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT, as against conventional means.
He attributed the incidences to the nonchalant attitude of drivers who use substandard tyres and engage in overspending.
“I say this because vehicle maintenance is central to the safety of the vehicle, a critical factor in minimum safety compliance that vehicle owners and drivers should not take for granted,” he said.
