FRSC arrests 5,836 offenders, impounds 3,085 vehicles

THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that a total of 5,836 road traffic offenders were apprehended during the just concluded 2018 Easter special patrol with about 3,085 vehicles impounded.

The Corps also said 79 persons lost their lives in road crashes nationwide during the period under review against the 57 death recorded in 2017.

Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, made this known on Friday in Abuja, saying the 2018 Easter special patrol lasted from Wednesday 28 March 2018 to Tuesday 3 April 2018,

He said comparing the Corps’ records for the 2018 Easter special patrol with 2017, a total of 5,836 offenders were apprehended in 2018 compared to 7,361 in 2017; a total of 6,551 offences were recorded in 2018 compared to 8,896 in 2017, and a total of 3,085 impounds were made compared to 3,500 in 2017.

Kazeem, further revealed that the Corps recorded a total of 1,071 number of people rescued from a total of 160 crashes nationwide, with 1,150 people involved compared to 963 people involved in 2017.

He said there was a significant increase in the number of people rescued without injury during the 2018 Easter special patrol exercise which was given a wider coverage than previous years when compared to the same period of Easter celebration in 2017.

ALSO READ: FRSC sets up 200 mobile courts for special Easter patrol operation

He said from the total number of 160 crashes, “38 were fatal crashes compared to 33 in 2017 which represents 15% increase; 94 were serious crashes compared to 89 in 2017 which represents 5.6% increase, and 28 were minor crashes compared to 25 in 2017 which represents 12% increase”.

He added that of the 1,150 persons involved in road traffic crashes during the 2018 Easter celebration period, 247 Vehicles were involved compared to 209 in 2017, and 79 persons lost their lives in 2018 compared to 57 in 2017.

He gave the breakdown of vehicles involved in road traffic crashes across the nation as follows: 15 tanker/trailers, 42 trucks, 56 buses, 78 cars, 40 motorcycles, 8 Tricycles, 6 pickups, and 2 animals.

He said: “In view of the directive of the Corps Marshal which is a move away from other years where the focus was on critical corridors, Kazeem noted that the Corps intensified its Patrol operations and Enlightenment campaigns by giving adequate coverage to all 39 routes across Nigeria.

The Corps also revealed that with respect to Mobile Court sittings that was spread across Nigeria during this period, a total of 337 persons were arraigned in 2018 Easter Special patrol compared to 399 persons in 2017; 318 offenders were convicted in 2018 compared to 379 in 2017; and 16 persons discharged and acquitted in 2018 compared to 17 in 2017.