Auto crashes kill 1,054 people in 33 months along Lagos-Ogun routes — FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said 1,054 people were killed in auto-crashes within 33 months along the Lagos-Ogun routes.

John Meheux, the zonal commanding officer in charge of Ogun and Lagos States, made the disclosure in his remarks at the “2018 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims’’ in Lagos.

Mr Meheux said that the zonal records in the last two to three years show the number of people involved and killed by auto crashes in various corridors within both states.

”In 2016, we recorded 828 road traffic crashes where 444 were killed and 2,364 injured.

“In 2017, 803 crashes occurred where 331 were killed and 2106 injured and in 2018, 644 accidents recorded 279 were killed and 1993 injured. We must see what we can do to ameliorate the crashes on the road and reduce the death as a result of the accident,” he said.

According to him, the corps wants to see structures put in place to curb crashes and deaths on the roads.

The zonal commander also appreciated the teams, agencies and stakeholders working tirelessly with FRSC on the road to ensure safety at any point in time.

The FRSC boss said that the corps was bringing back advocacy to the front burner to ensure adequate safety and cautious driving among the commercial drivers.

”Most of the accidents are caused by an attitudinal disposition, mainly responsible for number death in auto crashes,” he added.

Hyginus Omeje, the FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander, in his remarks, said that no efforts put in place to curb crashes on the road was too much.

Mr Omeje called on persons and corporate organisations to join hands with the corps in terms of resources to assist the FRSC to curb the menace of crashes on the road.

He said that FRSC was an avenue or a channel through which any organisation could exercise its corporate social responsibility to the people.

“However, we advise drivers to shun reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, overloading and the use of bad tyres,’’ he said.

Kanayo Okonkwo, a member of the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), also advised the motoring public to drive safely and shun drunk driving habit.