The Federal Road Safety Corps said more than 3,767 people lost their lives in 7,011 road crashes between January and September 2024.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, stated this in Bauchi on Sunday, during the flag-off of the 2024 Road Traffic Crash Cictims Remembrance Week at St. John’s Evangelist Cathedral Church.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 2024 World Road Traffic Crash victims remembrance week is tagged: “That Day”, to tell the stories of the day traffic collisions stopped or changed the course of the victim’s lives forever.
Represented by the Bauchi State Sector Commander, Istifanus Ibrahim, the FRSC Corps Marshal said more than 22,373 others sustained varying degrees of injury in road crashes within the period under review.
He said Nigeria, being the largest country in black Africa, suffers more from the devastating effect of road traffic crashes due to her population.
The Corps Marshal added that the objectives of the year 2024 World Day of Remembrance for RTCs victims were to provide avenue to remember both the deceased and those in the hospitals recuperating.
“The day is to acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services, draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries and advocate for appropriate response.
“It is to also advocate better support for road traffic victims and victim families as well as to promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries,” he said.
Shehu explained that the church programme was part of a series of activities lined up for the remembrance week, adding that the same gesture would be replicated at a Jumaat Mosque on Friday.
He reiterated the FRSC’s commitment toward making effective use of religious platforms to get the message of road safety to the people by appealing to the conscience and consciousness of road users.
He urged all tiers of government and authorities concerned to improve vehicular safety through the adoption of the Safe System Approach.
“We also call on motorists, pedestrians and all road users to recognise the fact that road traffic crashes kill more passengers than drivers and hence the need to remember that road safety is a collective responsibility,” he said.
Rev. Raphael Agbada commended FRSC for bringing the message to the church and promised to spread the enlightenment to not only the members of the church but also to the people of the state.
“We will do all we can to join you in ensuring safety on the roads,” he promised.
