The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Monday, disclosed that a total of 10,617 road traffic crashes resulting in 5081 deaths were recorded in 2023.
This, according to the Corps, represents a 21 percent reduction when compared to the 6,456 deaths recorded in 2022.
The Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu, who gave the figures in Abuja during a media briefing to mark the end of the Corps’ Operation Zero Tolerance conducted nationwide, said the Corps recorded a tremendous reduction in road crashes, fatalities, as well as injuries when compared to the data obtained in 2022.
Operation Zero Tolerance campaign was a special patrol operation initiated by the corps in December 2023 to curtail road traffic crashes in the country.
He said: “On annual performance, from January to December 2023, the Corps recorded a tremendous reduction in road crashes, fatalities, as well as injuries when compared to the data obtained in 2022.
“From January 1 to December 31, 2023, a total of 10,617 RTCs were recorded across the country. This figure is against 13,656 of 2022 which represents a 22% decrease.
“Also, 2023 records reveal that 5,081 people were killed against 6,456 in 2022 representing a 21% reduction, while 31,874 victims got injured in 2023, against 38,930 in the year 2022 signifying an 18.1% decrease.”
The Corps Marshal also said Katsina, Jigawa, Osun, and Kwara States topped the list of states with the highest fatalities of road traffic crashes during the Operation Zero Tolerance campaign in 2023.
He said the crashes were primarily caused by the overloading of trailers with a combination of passengers, goods, and animals, speed violations, and night trips.
“Between 15 December 2022, and 15 January 2024, which marked the period of the special operations, a total of 634 road crashes took place nationwide, as against 535 in the same period in 2022, representing a 19 percent increase. The 2022 crashes involved 4709 people; this is against 4162 recorded in 2022 signifying a 13 percent increase.
“Meanwhile, the total number of people injured increased by 17 percent as the Corps has a record of 2,055 people injured in 2023 against 1,762 in the same period in 2022. Also, the Corps rescued a total of 2319 people in 2022, signifying 13 percent when compared to a total of 2,050 recorded in 2022,” Biu said.
According to him, the main factors responsible for the crashes were speed violations, overloading, driving under the influence, continuous night journeys leading to fatigue, dangerous driving, and wrongful overtaking.
Biu said the corps deployed a total of 8,115 officers, 20,600 Marshals, over 13,000 Special Marshals, 5,10 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 20 Power Bikes, 98 Ambulances, and 52 tow trucks to strategic corridors.
He said due to fatalities recorded in the through road traffic crashes, the corps was planning to introduce speed limit devices in all vehicles nationwide.
Biu said the corps was working with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to prosecute drivers and vehicle owners who violate road traffic laws, such as night travel and overspeeding.
The Corps Marshal advocated for an improvement in the modes of transportation in the country to reduce road traffic crashes. (Blueprint)
