54 Persons Died In Auto Crashes In Ogun In 10 Months – FRSC

Posted by: Folamidavid in Politics, News Nov 22, 2019

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said about 54 persons have died in auto crashes in different parts of Sagamu, Ogun between January and October this year.

Sagamu Unit Commander, Taofiq Iyanda, revealed this at the “Ember Months Campaign,” at the Isale Oko Motor Park, Sagamu.

According to him, within the Sagamu area, 104 road traffic crashes involving 143 cars were recorded, adding that about 897 persons were involved in the crashes and 329 persons sustained injuries within the period.

He then urged motorists to always make sure their cars are in good condition.

His words, “Drivers tend to overload their vehicles by carrying more than the permitted number of passengers, goods and luggage. During this period, commercial drivers also engaged in excessive speed to make more trips.

“These are traffic offences that happen during the ember months up to early January.”

Sad.

Federal Road Safety Corps is the Government Agency with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria. Founded in 1988, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) operates in all Nigerian states as well as the Federal Capital Territory and is the lead agency in Nigeria on road safety administration and management. The statutory functions include: Making the highways safe for motorists and other road users as well as checking road worthiness of vehicles, recommending works and infrastructures to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways and educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of road discipline on the highways.

The FRSC is currently headed by Boboye O Oyeyemi, MFR, mni, whose title of Corps Marshal is the highest rank in the Corps ranking system.

Prior to the establishment of Federal Road Safety Commission in 1988, there was no concrete and sustained policy action to address the carnage on Nigerian roads. Earlier attempts in this direction were limited to discrete and isolated attempts by some states of the federation and individuals.

Notable among the efforts to institute a formidable road safety program was the effort of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) between 1960 and 1965. The effort of the Nigerian Army in the training of its officers and men on road safety in the early 1970s also contributed to road safety ideas and consciousness in Nigeria: The Nigerian Army started the First Public Road Safety Campaign in 1972 when it initiated an annual Road Safety Week.

The unpleasant trend in the nation’s road traffic system which resulted in upsurge in road traffic accidents made the Federal Government initiate a search for a credible and effective response to the challenge.