The Federal Road Safety Corps says there is no scientific proof that witches are not responsible for road traffic crashes in Nigeria.

FRSC sector commander in Gomber, Samson Kaura, stated this on Thursday while briefing journalists on efforts to ensure safety during the 2024 ember months.

Mr Kaura said that the widely-held belief by some Nigerians that evil spirits were responsible for road crashes during Ember Months was false and misleading.

He said that contrary to the belief that road crashes were a manipulation of witches, the major causes of most auto crashes were speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, bad tyres and poor state of cars.

According to him, motorists often hide under such falsehoods to avoid being blamed for crashes.

He said that the last four months of the year were marked with increased road traffic because farmers were harvesting and transporting their goods.

He stated that others have planned weddings and other social events for the periods, which result in a high traffic volume, and “any recklessness in this regard will lead to increased crashes too.”

The FRSC commander added, “So this is to disabuse our minds from believing that witches are the ones causing increased crashes during this period of the year.

“There is no scientific proof that crashes are caused by witches as crashes are caused by human, mechanical and environmental factors.”

Mr Kaura advised motorists in the state to always stick to traffic rules and obey all road signs while avoiding the temptation of hurrying while using the road.

He said that the command would strengthen enforcement and visibility across the state to ensure safety and quick response in cases of crashes to reduce fatalities.

(NAN)