At least seventy-five persons were killed in road crashes in Ondo State between January and June this year, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The Ondo command of the corps disclosed this while briefing journalists on the statistics of crashes recorded in the state between the months under review. 

“The 218 RTCs (Road Transport Crashes) that occurred in the state involved a total of 356 vehicles and 75 people were killed,” said Richard Adetoro, the Ondo Deputy Corps Commander of FRSC in Charge of Operations.

Addressing journalists in Akure, the state capital, Mr Adetoro said that a total of 1,428 persons were involved in the crash within six months under review.

The number was made up of 1,025 males and 403 females, and involved a total of 218 road crashes across the state within the same months. 

“A total of 567 people sustained varying degrees of injuries, while 1,345 were rescued from the crashes without injuries. 

“This brought the number to 1,428, the total number of people involved in the RTCs between January and June,” the FRSC senior officer added. 

Mr Adetoro blamed most of the prevalent causes of the crashes on speed limit violations, dangerous driving, and lack of concentration by the drivers. 

He said no less than 8,399 traffic offenders have been arrested by the corps for violating basic traffic rules and regulations, and vowed that the corps won’t relent on its mandate.

Several roads in Nigeria, especially the highways are not motorable and filled with potholes, becoming a “death trap” for many commuters and motorists. 

World Health Organisation (WHO) data states that road accidents cost low and middle-income countries between 1.0 and 2.0 percent of their gross national product annually, more than the development aid the countries receive.