Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says that it recorded a total of 33 deaths in 103 road traffic crashes (RTC) during the just concluded 2021 Easter Special Patrol, which lasted from March 31, to April 7, 2021.
The Public Education Officer of the FRSC, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, said in a statement released on Saturday in Abuja that the figures were in contrast to 80 deaths in 200 crashes during the Easter celebrations in 2019.
It added that the Corps covered 1575 routes, impounded 3205 vehicles and apprehended 5630 offenders for committing 6880 offences and arraigned 87 offenders in mobile court, convicted 79 with option of fines and sentenced 1 to prison during the 2021 Easter celebrations.
According to the statement, the drop recorded in RTC was largely attributed to the establishment of Station Offices in almost all the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria; intensified public enlightenment and sensitization campaigns held nationwide in collaboration with key stakeholders in the transportation sector and beyond; and effective patrol operations, when compared to the same period of Easter celebrations in 2019.
“The effect of the massive sensitization, enhanced visibility and general enforcement deployed in collaboration with stakeholders is evidenced in the recorded decrease in total number of road traffic crashes and offences recorded in 2021. It also implies that drivers have stepped up compliance with established traffic regulations,” the statement said.
Comparing the two years, Kazeem said that in the same period in 2019, the Corps arrested a total of 6961 offenders as against 5630 in 2021, representing 19.12% decrease, and a total of 7708 offences as against 6880 in 2021, representing 10.74% decrease.
“In the same vein, within the period under consideration, a total of 162 offenders were arraigned in mobile court in 2019, while a total of 87 offenders were arraigned in 2021 representing another decrease of 46.30%,” he said.
Given the breakdown of the recorded decrease in RTCs during the general operation, the spokesperson noted that out of the 103 RTCs in 2019, FRSC recorded 37 fatal crashes as against 26 in 2021, representing 30% decrease in fatal crashes alone.
On vehicles involved in RTC, Kazeem said that a total of 175 vehicles were involved in 2021, compared to 218 in 2019.
GIK/APA