The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said 115 people were killed and 1,146 injured in road accidents in Gombe State in 2022.
Mr. Felix Theman, the Sector Commander said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafiyawo community, Akko Local Government Area, on Tuesday.
He said a total of 377 road accidents involving 633 vehicles and 1,911 people were recorded in the country during the period under review, out of which 765 were uninjured.
Comparing the road accident statistics of 2022 with 2021, Theman said that there has been a reduction in the number of people killed as well as road accidents recorded in the country.
He said in 2021, there were a total of 438 accidents involving 2,068 people and 542 vehicles, while 1,153 people were injured and 117 were killed.
The sector commander said there is a 13.9 percent reduction in road accidents and a 1.7 percent reduction in the death rate by 2022, compared to the previous year.
It is concerned by the high number of fatalities between December 15, 2022 and January 15, 2023, despite awareness campaigns on safe driving and the deployment of surveillance and patrol teams.
“During Operation Zero, a period of one month between December 15 and January 15, 2023, 35 people died from 59 accidents while 193 were injured; 315 people and 93 vehicles were involved in accidents.
“In Operation Zero 2021, 46 accidents were recorded and 19 people died, 128 were injured, 230 people and 78 vehicles crashed.”
The man said the accidents were mostly due to wrong overtaking, speeding, overloading, burst tires and underage drivers.
He warned motorists in the country to be more patient and not to rush while on the road.
The sector commander advised motorists traveling the Gombe-Yola road to be mindful of speed, as the majority of traffic accidents in 2022 were recorded on the route.
“Motorists have a responsibility to drive safely and ensure the safety of their passengers, so drive to save your life,” he said.
He said the FRSC has adopted a strategy to implement road safety rules and regulations.