Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), yesterday hinted that it recorded substantial reduction in the number of road traffic crashes (RTC), injuries and fatalities between January and September 2023.
The FRSC also achieved 22 per cent reduction in RTCs, 21.3 per cent decrease in road injuries and 23.1 per cent reduction in road traffic deaths when compared with the same period in 2022.
According to the FRSC said that it recorded a total of 7830 road traffic crashes on its road traffic crash dashboard within the period under review against 10,039 in the same period in the year 2022, which represented 22 per cent decrease.
In the same vein, from January to September 2023, the corps also achieved 21.3 per cent reduction in number of people rescued with injuries, having rescued a total of 22,580 in 2023 against 28,698 injured victims from January to September of the year 2022.
On the number of people killed, the corps also recorded significant reduction within the operational period.
According to the crash data report in the first nine months of the year 2023, the corps recorded a total of 3,730 fatalities as against 4,848 in the same period in 2022, representing 23.1 per cent reduction.
The Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer FRSC Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, in a statement noted that it is expedient to inform the public that the highest achievement was recorded in the third quarter 2023 (July to September).
Kazeem said that in the 3rd quarter, the corps reduced RTCs by 37.6 per cent having reduced crashes from 3,412 in 2022 to 2,130 in 2023. Road traffic injuries were also reduced from 9,258 in 2022 to 5,864 in 2023, representing 36.7 per cent reduction while road traffic deaths were also reduced from 1,470 in 2022 to 880 in 2023, representing 40 per cent reduction in number of people killed.
“On this note, it is pertinent to state that this significant decrease was achieved due to enhanced visibility on the highways, aggressive public education, broadened and expanded command structures, injection of more patrol, rescue and recovery vehicles into the operations of the corps for prompt rescue services and speedy removal of obstructions, and of course, deployment of men and logistics to areas hitherto uncovered.
“The Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu, wishes to leverage on this opportunity to inform the public that the present administration of the Corps has unequivocally resolved not to rest on its oars in ensuring steady reduction in crashes, injuries and fatalities on Nigerian roads,” Kazeem said.
