The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Command, has revealed that a distressing total of 75 individuals lost their lives in Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) in the state between January and August this year.
Mr. Babatunde Farinloye, the State Sector Commander of FRSC, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Within the eight-month period, there were 1,611 individuals involved in road accidents, which included 102 minor accidents and 158 serious incidents. To enhance road safety, the command deployed 324 personnel to its checkpoints.
Moreover, the command recorded a significant number of traffic offenses, with 53,564 violations and 44,269 offenders reported during this timeframe.
Mr. Farinloye stressed the importance of cultivating a culture of safety among both motorists and pedestrians to reduce the fatality rate in RTCs.
He noted that the upcoming “Ember Months,” referring to the last four months of the year, see an increase in socio-economic, cultural, and religious activities, leading to a surge in vehicular movements and potentially reckless behavior.
The FRSC’s efforts to mitigate these risks include public awareness campaigns, free vehicle safety checks, driver training programs, vehicle inspections, fleet regulation, and daily highway surveillance by patrol teams.
The 2023 Campaign for Safety for the rainy season and Ember Months has commenced with the theme “Speed Thrills, It Kills, Drive Responsibly And Avoid Overloading.”
Mr. Farinloye emphasized the importance of adhering to speed limits, regular vehicle maintenance, avoiding phone use while driving, refraining from speeding and drunk driving, and assured the public of enhanced traffic monitoring and management with additional logistical support from FRSC management.
He called for a collective effort from all stakeholders to ensure safety during the Ember Months and beyond.