The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Command, says it apprehended 1,686 road traffic offenders for various offences and impounded 699 vehicles during its special patrol.
The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mrs Uche Chukwurah, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan.
NAN reports that the Special Patrol Operation tagged: “Operation Zero Tolerance” which started on Dec. 14, 2020 and ended on Jan. 15, 2021, was to ensure free flow of traffic during the 2020 Yuletide season.
Chukwurah said the command had a successful operation during the period and encountered some challenges which it was able to manage effectively.
She listed the challenges to include drivers disobedience to traffic rules, route violation, traffic gridlock and obstruction among others.
Chukwurah said that the command’s newly acquired tow truck assisted in urgent removal of broken down vehicles that could cause obstruction on the road and hinder free flow of traffic.
“During the special patrol, a total of 1,807 offences were recorded while 1,686 traffic offenders were apprehended and 699 vehicles apprehended for violating different traffic offences.
“A pocket of crashes was recorded during the period with a total of 88 crashes recorded.
“529 people were involved in the crashes while 217 people were injured, 256 persons rescued unhurt and 46 persons lost their lives during the period,” she said.
The sector commander attributed the cause of the crashes to speeding, wrongful overtaking and dangerous driving.
She further said that the command would embark on robust public enlightenment and stakeholder sensitisation in 2021 and reduce road traffic crashes to the barest minimum.
Chukwurah, however, said that the command would build on the successes recorded in 2020.
She noted that the command had not relented on the issue of unlatched articulated vehicles and would continue to monitor and ensure that articulated vehicles were latched.
Chukwurah called on commuters and motorists to ensure that they adhered to traffic rules and regulations. (NAN)
