The Federal Road Safety Corps says no fewer than 143 lives were lost in various road traffic crashes across zone Rs 5, between January and March.

Ayodele Kumapayi, Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Anambra, Delta, and Edo, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday in Benin.

Mr Kumapayi said the figure was a 28.80 per cent increase compared with the 111 people killed in road traffic crashes across the zone within the same period in 2021.

He also said that 1,456 people were involved in the crashes within the period under review, against the 1,407 involved within the same period last year.

“Also, between January and March this year, 489 people out of those involved in the RTCs were injured, whereas within the same period last year, 464 people were injured. This is a 5.30 per cent increase comparatively.

“However, there was a 3.50 per cent decrease in number of RTCs recorded in the zone within the period under review, as 193 RTCs were recorded against the 200 recorded within the same period last year.

“We also had a decrease in serious cases recorded as 79 serious cases were recorded against 122 recorded within the same period in the previous year, and this is a 35.20 per cent decrease,” he said.

He also said that 63 of the crashes recorded were fatal, and represents a 38.70 per cent increase compared with the 49 recorded in the first quarter of 2021.

“However, minor cases recorded was 29 and we had the same figure last year too”, he said.

Mr Kumapayi further disclosed that 13,474 traffic offenders were arrested for various offences within the period under review, compared with 8,912 offenders within the same period in the previous year.

“On offences committed, 15,537 offences were committed between January and March this year while within the same period last year, 10,541 offences were recorded,” Mr Kumapayi said. 

(NAN)