FRSC Zone1 Records 1,148 Deaths From 8,060 Accidents

FRSC Zone 1 recorded 1,148 deaths in 8,060 accidents in four states of the zone since January, Mr Samuel Obayemi, the Zonal Commander said on Wednesday in Kaduna.

The zone comprises Kaduna, Kano and Katsina states as well as Jigawa.

Obayemi,? that 6, 921 persons also sustained injuries in the various accidents.

According to him, the figures represent about 12.3 per cent increase over those of 2010.

“About 897 people died in a total of 6, 457 accidents in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states within the same period in 2010,” he said.

Obayemi blamed the accidents on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and overloading.

He said that commercial motorcyclists recorded the highest casualties during the period though he did not elaborate.

Obayemi said that the command has been sensitising road users on safe driving, adding that the implementation of the Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme (RTSSS) has yielded positive results.

He said that the scheme has enabled stakeholders in the transportation industry to acquire additional knowledge regarding their responsibilities.

Obayemi commended the support rendered to the FRSC in the zone by the four state governments and called for continued collaboration to minimise accidents on the roads.