Why auto-crashes, deaths are rising in Ogun – FRSC

The Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Thursday blamed impatience and outright disobedience of traffic rules by motorists for the rising auto-crashes and deaths in the state.

Mr Clement Oladele, the Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, made this known at the 2018 Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the Sango-Ota Command in Ota.

Oladele said that in the first and second quarters of this year, 91 and 160 deaths respectively were recorded by the command, adding that the deaths had surpassed the entire 210 recorded in 2017.

He said arrests and other efforts by the command to caution motorists as they approach construction sites on highways had also yielded little result.

According to him, most of the crashes occur in construction areas, especially at Ogunmakin, Mowe, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“The increase in road crashes and fatalities is due to outright disobedience to traffic rules such as non usage of seatbelt and use of second hand (tokunbo) tyres.

“We implore all motorists to adhere to the 50km speed limit at construction sites and regular use of seatbelt as well as desist from buying tokunbo tyres to reduce crashes and fatalities in the state,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that the forum tagged, “Importance of Seatbelt and Tyre Safety,” was organised by the command in collaboration with Shell Nigeria Gas.

Also speaking, Mr Adekunle Oguntoyinbo, the Sango-Ota Unit Commander of FRSC, said that 60 per cent of the dead would have lived if they had used seatbelts.

Oguntoyinbo said that prominent Nigerians were among the dead due to disobedience to traffic rules.

He reiterated that the forum was aimed at reawakening motorists on the need to be safety conscious.

Mr Joshua Ibitomi, the Agbado Unit Commander of FRSC, advised motorists to always check the expiry date of tyres before buying them.

Ibitomi also enjoined motorists to replace any tyre that had covered a maximum of 80,000 kilometres even if the four-year life span had not expired.

Mr Adekunle Ajibade, the Sango-Ota Unit Commander of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, said accidents have no respect for anyone and urged motorists embrace safe driving.