Corps Commander Olusegun Ogungbemide
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR–The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos State Command, said a total of 416 crashes were recorded between January to August, 2022.
The Command added that out of the number of crashes, 705 people were involved and 558 of the victims were injured, while 97 lost their lives with February been the month when 21 cases representing 36% were recorded.
According to statement released by its Public Education Officer, Route Commander Olabisi Sonusi anipr, that Corps Commander Olusegun Ogungbemide disclosed this during a media briefing to sensitize members of the public on the increasing menace of night travel which attracts greater fatality.
He added that total number of people injured were 87 representing 15% with 56 killed representing 57% between 6pm and 6am from January to August 13 2022.
He also cautioned motorists against the menace of night travel, saying factors of insecurity, poor visibility and access to medical facilities could make night travel more hazardous.
According to him, the FRSC National Headquarters has been sensitive to this reality, which was why it has enunciated the policy of using subtle means to discourage night travel by motorists.
This he said manifested in the aggressive public enlightenment programmes embarked upon by the Corps over the years, stressing that the adoption of the civil approach was based on the need to aggressively raise public awareness on the hazards that road travelers in the night are faced with whenever a crash occurs.
The Sector Commander pointed out that Lagos State Command like others across the Nation have been aggressive in the campaign against night travel using all available means including the media, motor park rallies and roadshows.
He however observed that while some impacts must have been created, the recent recorded cases of crashes in the state is quite alarming and calls for concerted efforts to ameliorate the challenge.
While reaffirming the commitment of the FRSC in Lagos state to continue to improve on the delivery of the services to members of the public, he called for sustained support especially from the media to promote the safety messages, saying that aligns with the United Nations declaration of 2021-2030 as decade of action for road safety.
“We are conscious of the fact that without your support through prompt reportage of our activities and elaborate conveyance of our messages, we couldn’t have reached our target audience and received the level of attention that have resulted from such efforts.”
The Sector Commander further explained that road safety is a shared responsibility of all and called on the media to escalate the campaign against night travel for improved safety and security of lives and property.
