The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 327 people were killed in 600 Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) during 2021 Operation Zero Tolerance nationwide.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, said this during a news briefing on its 2021 Operation Zero Tolerance special patrol operations on Thursday in Abuja.
Oyeyemi said that a comparative analysis of RTC recorded in 2021 revealed 9 per cent reduction in crash cases.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Operation Zero Tolerance special patrol operation is between Dec. 15, 2021 and Jan. 15.
Oyeyemi noted that the highest number of deaths recorded during the period was along Ilesha-Akure road and Kano-Zaria road calming 20 and 19 persons respectively.
He said within the period under review, 600 RTC were recorded, involving 4,649 people with 327 people killed and 1,916 injured.
“2,406 people were rescued without injuries. A total of seven fatal crashes claiming 82 persons were recorded along seven critical routes across the country.
“A comparative analysis of RTC recorded in the year 2021 and 2020 revealed 9 per cent reduction in crash cases, 3 per cent reduction in the number of people involved.
“26 per cent reduction in the number of people killed and 9 per cent reduction in the number of people injured,” he said.
In a related development, Oyeyemi said 20,845 offenders were apprehended and booked for violating 24,214 different traffic infractions.
He said that 11,060 vehicles were impounded during the Operation Zero Tolerance and 9,787 confiscations recorded the same period.
“However, a comparative analysis of enforcement within the special patrol in 2021 and 2020 indicates 26 per cent increase in road traffic violators.
“32 per cent increase in traffic offenses, 18 per cent increase in the number of vehicles impounded and 35 per cent increase in number of confiscations,” he said.
Oyeyemi said that speed violation as most prevalent was probably the cause of crashes recorded during the 2021 operation Zero.
He added that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, continuous night journey leading to fatigue and dangerous driving were also causes of crashes recorded.
“Wrongful overtaking, tyre violation (worn out and expired) and overloading of vehicles were also attributed to the causes of these crash cases,” he said.
Oyeyemi said that the Corps had aligned with recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on reducing fatalities by focusing on the five behavioural key risk factors.
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This, he said, included Speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, motorcycle helmet, seatbelt and child restraint.
The FRSC boss said that the Corps performance for 2021 was reviewed with a view to ensuring continual performance-driven activities in 2022.
”The Corps is set out to achieve the following targets and goals for the year: To accomplish 15 per cent in RTC fatality, enhance road safety partnership for innovative intervention and consolidate on road traffic data system for improved road safety policy formulation,” he said.
Oyeyemi reiterated the Corps appreciation to the media, adding that the media should sustain the partnership in 2022.
(NAN)
