The Kwara Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Friday, said it recorded a reduction in road traffic crashes and fatalities within the state in 2023.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olayinka Basambo, in a statement in Ilorin, said the sector commander, Corps Commander Dawulung, released the details of this.

“The Sector Commander said the number of crashes reduced from 348 in 2022 to 307 in 2023, representing an 11.78 per cent decrease.

“He further said the fatalities figure also dropped from 231 in 2022 to 196 in 2023, representing a 15.15 per cent decrease,” Ms Basambo said.

The PRO said the achievement was a result of resilience and commitment by officers of the command in pursuit of Goal 1 of the 2023 FRSC Corporate Strategic Goals.

She explained that their goal was to stimulate a five per cent reduction in road traffic deaths.

Ms Basambo also stated that in December 2023, road traffic crash figures reduced to 26, compared with 41 recorded in December 2022, representing a 36.58 per cent decrease.

“Also, fatalities reduced from 14 in December 2022 to 11 in December 2023, representing a 21.43 per cent decrease.”

She noted that the end-of-year special patrol operations tagged “Operations Zero Tolerance” which began on Dec. 15 and would end on Jan. 15 was one of the reasons for the reduction.

Ms Basambo assured that the command would continue its sensitisation of road users in public places, saying this was key in the reorientation of road users towards safer road traffic practices.

“We will leverage the subsisting collaboration with our stakeholders, including the media, in promoting road safety practices.

“We also advise road users, and drivers in particular, to always adhere to road traffic regulations as a measure to avoid road traffic crashes,” she said.

(NAN)