THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said over 5,000 people died in various road traffic crashes (RTCs) in 2023.
Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dauda Ali-Biu, disclosed this on Monday, January 22, in Abuja at a press conference to commemorate the conclusion of the organisation’s statewide “operation zero tolerance.”
According to Ali-Biu, the Corps’s implementation of a holistic strategy resulted in a 21 per cent decrease in RTCs when the 2023 fatalities are compared with 6,456 who died 2022.
He said from January to December 2023, the Corps ensured upward mobility in mobilising human and material resources to achieve maximum impact.
“From January 1 to December 31, 2023, a total of 10,617 RTCs were recorded across the country. This figure is against 13,656 in 2022, which represents a 22 per cent decrease.
“Also, 2023 records reveal that 5,081 people were killed against 6,456 in 2022, representing a 21 per cent reduction, while 31,874 victims got injured in 2023, against 38,930 in the year 2022, signifying an 18.1 per cent decrease,” he said.
Despite the decline, the FRSC boss stated that the number of RTCs and related deaths was still too high.
He cautioned drivers against overloading and night travels.
He added that driving at night on Nigerian roads is linked to several dangerous driving habits, including poor visibility, overspeeding and exhaustion.
According to Ali-Biu, driving at night puts all drivers at risk.
He said the FRSC held 93 special mobile court sessions nationwide in the past year and convicted 1,159 drivers.
The offenders were apprehended for committing 33,892 offences against 25,40 committed in 2022, which signifies a 33 per cent increase in offence.
A reporter with the ICIR
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