THE Lagos State command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has declared that it recorded a total of 74 deaths in various traffic crashes in the second quarter of 2022.
Asst. Corp Marshal, Peter Kibo, the Zonal Commanding Officer, made the disclosure during the 2022 Ember month campaign flag-off on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, in Lagos. The theme of the Ember Months Campaign is, “Avoid Speeding, Overloading, Unsafe Tyres, to Arrive Alive”.
Corps Commander Olusegun Ogungbemide, the Lagos Sector Commander, who represented Kibo said 232 people were injured within the period, adding that 10 deaths were recently recorded in the Ishagamu fire accident.
According to Kibo, the gridlock in Lagos helps in reducing accidents, but excess speed, lack of discipline, and failure to obey traffic rules have resulted in road crashes in the state. The Zonal Commander then urged commuters to always caution drivers against speeding and other actions inimical to road safety.
Also, he preached against the night journey, saying that 50 per cent of deaths recorded in 2022 happened at night. Various stakeholders also cautioned drivers against taking alcohol and other intoxicants to avoid crashes.
Mr Lucas Oguntade, the FRSC Head of Operations in the state, advised motorists to always check their health status and the condition of their vehicles before taking to the road. According to him, lots of accidents were caused by bad eye sights.
Also, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Sholotan, Commanding Officer, 174 Battalion, Nigeria Army Ikorodu, urged road users to avoid taking drugs and speeding.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abiodun Alabi, represented by ACP Mr Oludotun Odubona, urged drivers to stop indiscriminate parking and picking passengers in unauthorised places, declaring that the action usually caused traffic congestion, giving criminals the opportunity to rob commuters.
