BY ISAAC AFOLABI
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s remembrance day of road traffic victims, the Federal Road Safety Corps , FRSC Ondo State sector says it recorded 16.77 per cent reduction in road traffic deaths in the state between 2021 and 2022.
Staff reporter Isaac Afolabi spoke with other stakeholders on the occasion examining how best to make the road safer for users.
According to statistics obtained from Ondo FRSC between Jan. 2021 and Oct. 2021 and Jan. 2022 and Oct. 2022 , the number of people injured in 2021 were 775 while 852 were injured in 2022 with an increase of 9.93 per cent.
Similarly ,161 deaths were recorded in 2021 while 134 deaths were recorded in 2022 which is a decrease of 16.77 per cent.
And in 2021, 409 road crashes were recorded while 320 crashes were recorded in 2022, which is a decrease of 21.7 per cent of the total road crashes.
Speaking on this , The sector commander , road safety corps , ondo State , Mr Ezekiel SonAllah whobattributed some of the road crashes to violations of road traffic rules and over speeding appealed to road users especially commercial drivers to obey traffic all rules always including ensuring that their vehicles were road worthy to prevent carnage on the road.
Mr SonAllah reminded road users that life had no duplicate hence all must abide by the laws to stay alive.
A transporter Mr Debisi Oluwole spoke fixing the bad roads and clearing bushes on the fringes of the highways which he said were sometimes responsible for accidents .
An accident victim who did not want his name mentioned recounted how he survived a ghastly accident though with a fracture and warned road users against night travelling.
Radio Nigeria microphone also caught up with a traveller Mr Kayode Williams at a motor park in Akure the Ondo State capital who charged the leadership of transport unions to always sensitize their members against reckless driving with emphasis on constant maintenance of vehicles before traveling.
Mr Williams also suggested banning alcohols in motor parks and drinking joints selling popular local alcohols such as Jedi, Opa eyin taken by many commercial drivers.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ” Justice ” with the slogan ” Remember Support Act “