From January to June 2023, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has captured 162,834 traffic offenders nationwide, who were involved in a total of 179,165 offenses, according to Bisi Kazeem, the corps spokesperson.
Kazeem indicated that the arrests were primarily for various violations such as speeding, seatbelt misuse, route deviation, disregarding light signals, phone usage while driving, overloading, and reckless driving.
Jide Owatunmise, CEO of the Professional Driving and Safety Academy, highlighted the necessity for FRSC to incorporate advanced technologies, including CCTV cameras positioned in blind spots to monitor traffic offenders. He proposed a system where cameras are connected to vehicle owners’ BVNs for immediate fine deductions, accompanied by the suspension of renewing licenses or insurance claims until fines are settled, alongside mandatory refresher training.
In a separate revelation, Kazeem disclosed that road traffic crashes led to the loss of 4,387 lives and caused 14,108 injuries between January and June across Nigeria’s states and the Federal Capital Territory. Nighttime journeys, fatigue, violation of road rules, risky overtaking, use of worn-out tires, and speeding were identified as common factors contributing to these crashes. Kazeem also pointed out that many accidents involved untrained and inexperienced drivers, while underscoring the impact of the absence of FRSC personnel during nighttime operations.