The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Tuesday said no fewer than 516 road crashes resulting 197 deaths were recorded across Niger State in 2017.
The crashes occurred mostly along three major routes; Kaduna-Abuja dual carriage way, Jebba-Mokwa- Bida road and the Mokwa-Teggina-Birnin Gwari highways.
The Sector Commander, FRSC Niger State, Mr. Joel Dagwa, disclosed this while addressing a press conference at the IBB Pen House, Minna, the Niger State capital, as part of activities to commemorate the 2018 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash (RTC) Victims.
‘‘The number of incidents along the three major routes left in their wake trauma, economic dislocations and psychological disturbances among relatives, family members and friends to the victim’s’’, Mr. Joel Dagwa stated.
He further explained, “The statistics given seems to be mere figures to most people, but this attitude is manifested in the conduct of some road users who erroneously believe that they are immune to road traffic crashes hence they behave anyhow while on the wheels.
“The World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims is to awaken the consciousness of those of us who are still alive today to the effects of RTC and to the fact that road traffic clashes is preventable and avoidable”.
The 2018 World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims celebration with the theme, ‘‘Roads Have Stories’’, Dagwa said is timely as it will remind all road users on the dangers of reckless driving and imminent stories of deaths if they fail to drive to stay alive.
Dagwa appealed to all road users to appreciate the gravity attached to using roads by striving to observe all road safety rules guiding their conduct while on the road from vehicle maintenance to driving skills to accommodate other road users, including domestic animals and to their mental and psychological balance”.
The Sector commander also told journalists that the 2018 celebration would involve visits to crash victims in hospitals, engagements with various transport unions, advocacy visits to schools and prayers in churches and mosques.
