The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Zone RS2 Command, comprising Ogun and Lagos States, on Tuesday said it recorded 70 deaths from road traffic fatalities during `Operation Zero Tolerance’.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 2019 special Yuletide operation tagged ‘Operation Zero Tolerance’ started on Dec. 15, 2019 and ended on Jan. 19, 2020 in the zone.

 

It was part of efforts by the FRSC to reduce road fatalities through enlightenment and enforcement.

 

The operation saw to the deployment of 3,500 officers and equipment to highways to curb road traffic crashes and fatalities during the Yuletide.

 

Mr Samuel Obayemi, the FRSC’s Zonal Commanding Officer, speaking on the outcome of the operation, told NAN that about 70 (66.7 per cent) lives were lost to road crashes.

 

He said this was against 42 deaths recorded within the same period in 2018.

 

Obayemi said that the number of people that died from the various road accidents increased because most motorists were not safety conscious.

 

He said that the Lagos Command recorded 22 deaths from 80 road crashes while Ogun Command recorded 48 deaths from 102 road crashes during the exercise.

 

According to him, the zone records 182 road crashes in all during the period as against 99 in 2018 during the same operation.

Obayemi said that 1,342 people were involved in road accidents during the period in the zone as against 830 in 2018.

 

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He added that 320 people were injured in road accidents during the period as against 302 injured in 2018, while 848 were rescued uninjured as against 487 in 2018.

 

The FRSC boss said that 6,680 offenders and 7,648 offences were recorded during the operation as against 4,396 offenders and 4,852 offences recorded in 2018.

 

He said that while Lagos Command recorded 3,246 traffic offenders from 3,748 offences during the exercise, the Ogun Command recorded 3,434 traffic offenders from 3,900 offences.

 

“Not until people learn to obey traffic rules and regulations and have considerations for other road users, we will still continue to witness increase in road crashes.

 

“The increase is as a result of non-compliance with traffic rules and regulations and many people putting their vehicles on the roads without proper maintenance.

 

“If people adhere to traffic rules and regulations, some of these accidents can be avoided.

“We will, however, not rest on our oars in bringing down carnages on the roads,” he said.

 

On complaints by some motorists that roads were bad, the FRSC boss advised road users to apply caution and patience on such corridors and portions.

 

Obayemi assured motorists in the zone of FRSC’s commitment toward reduction of road crashes, adding that the officers remained dedicated to the corps’ mandate.

 

He said that the officers would continue to do their jobs to enhance safety for all while on the road. (NAN)