Tag: FRSC

Twenty children died in road accidents between December 19 and December 28 while 75 others were injured from the crashes, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), said yesterday.

In a statement in Abuja by Mr Jonas Agwu, the FRSC’s Public Education Officer, said that 144 children of the 239 children involved in road accidents during the period were rescued unhurt.

The FRSC, on December 19, began a special patrol for the Christmas and New Year celebration, code-named: Operation Zero Tolerance.

The commission deployed 34,000 personnel and equipment in critical and major highways across the country as well as four helicopters for aerial surveillance.

The FRSC, on December 24, said 107 persons died among the 1,398 involved in 214 road accidents between December 19 and December 23.

It said the figures represented a reduction in the number of deaths and injured when compared to 156 deaths and 1,882 injured persons in 236 accidents in the corresponding period of 2012.

The statement, therefore, advised parents and drivers to ensure that children were “appropriately restrained” in vehicles during travels.

It added that those under 12 years should be restrained in the rear seats in line with the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.

This, it said was necessary because air bags could injure or kill young children travelling in front seats in the event of accident.

“One of the most effective measures to protect occupants from injury in the event of a crash is the fitment and use of seat-belts and child restraints.

“Restraints save lives and reduce injury severity – all vehicle occupants should be appropriately restrained when travelling,” it said.

The statement said statistics indicate that seat belt usage reduce the risk of fatality among front seat passengers by 40 per cent to 50 per cent.

It said the use of the belt could also reduce risk of fatality for rear seat passengers by between 25 per cent and 75 per cent.

The statement said child restraints reduced deaths among infants by approximately 70 per cent and deaths among small children by between 54 per cent and 80 per cent.

It said FRSC mandated its commanding officers to intensify enforcement of traffic rules on child safety during the ongoing special patrol, which will end on January 12, 2014.

The statement directed the officers to conduct routine checks on vehicles conveying children to ensure that they are properly positioned through restraints.

Vehicular traffic on major roads in Onitsha and environs yesterday eased as shoppers and travellers passed through the Niger bridge without obstruction.

The favourable traffic situation impacted positively on commercial activities, as traders and shoppers made brisk business.

The free flow of traffic followed the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the police and soldiers, who controlled activities at the Onitsha-end of the bridge, the Onitsha-Enugu road and the Onitsha-Owerri road.

The Unit Commander of FRSC in Onitsha,

Mr. Anothny Metta, said despite the low traffic, the men and officers of the corps were still watching the bridge.

He said: “We are ready with the tow truck to evacuate any obstruction within minutes.”

“However, we expect that the eased traffic situation on the bridge will continue till about 4pm tomorrow (today) when we will experience increased traffic. It will likely last up to 9 pm.

“We are also getting ready for more extensive work from next week, starting from January 5 when people, who travelled to their communities will be returning to resume businesses and work.”

Another Unit Commander of FRSC in Ihiala, Mr. Nnamdi Asanya, said the combined efforts contributed in the ease of traffic flow on the roads.

“However, we are still on our duty post monitoring the development and making sure any broken down vehicle is attended to as fast as possible.

“I believe the present situation will continue till early next week,” he said.

THE Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, has disclosed that about 107 people died in road crashes between December 19 to 23, 2013 across the country. Chidoka made the disclosure in Obosi, Anambra State, after an aerial surveillance of major roads in the country through helicopter. The Corps Marshal, who was accompanied by the Head of Department, Special Marshal and Partnership, Victor Nwokolo, Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 5 Benin, Nseobong Akpabio and Anambra State Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje among others, said that available records so far obtained shows that there is a reduction in number of deaths and crashes for 2013. He disclosed that though 214 road traffic crashes was recorded during the period, the Operation Zero Tolerance launched by the Corps has succeeded in maintaining good traffic flow from the usual dense spots like Abuja- Lokoja – Okene, Lagos- Ibadan – Ore- Benin and the Niger Bridge in Asaba via Onitsha. Chidoka advised convoy drivers and VIPs to stop diverting traffic, and stressed that the four components of the command’s Operation Zero Tolerance emphasizes on avoiding over speeding, use of phones while driving, avoid drinking and driving and effective use of seat belts. Meanwhile, in a related development, the Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has disclosed that two persons died in about eight auto crashes recorded in the state between 19th December and 26th December, 2013. The Commandant of the command, Hyginus Omeje, said the crashes recorded 10 causalities, while 23 people were rescued unhurt. Omeje, who spoke with our correspondent, said the commission arrested 158 traffic offenders for various traffic offenses during its operation zero tolerance and impounded 52 of the vehicles. ‘’I relocated to Onitsha for proper command and control to avoid vehicle owners sleeping on the bridge. We decided that rather than vehicle owners to sleep on the bridge, our men will sleep there.

The Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has warned that recalcitrant drivers the ever busy Sagamu-Ore-Benin expressway will face the risk of jail terms or license revocation if they fail to obey traffic rules as yuletide period begins.

The unit Commander,Mr. Isa Seidu gave the warning during the weekend while kicking-off the ember months road safety campaign held at the Lagos garage motor park, Ijebu-Ode.

The operation, which is one in the series of programmes within the christmas festivity period, is themed; “Attitude – The change we need on our roads.”

Seidu said:’ drivers attitude to make as many trips in the shortest possible time with flagrant disobedience to traffic rules, account for most accidents during the period’.

‘’We must warn all those who want to indulge in acts of lawlessness to beware as necessary legal framework has been put in place to deal with offenders.

‘’Any driver caught driving against traffic, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, recklessly and over-speeding, will be prosecuted.