On Friday, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said no fewer than 24 deaths were recorded in 166 road crashes in Gombe between January and March.

FRSC sector commander in Gombe, Felix Theman, disclosed this in an interview in Lafiyawo, Akko council area.

He said 518 people were involved in the crashes, of which 354 sustained various injuries while 140 were unhurt in incidents largely caused by wrongful overtaking, failure to obey the speed limit, overloading, phone use while driving and underage driving.

According to him, motorcycles and tricycles were major contributors to the crashes within the period under review, with 128 of them involved in the accidents recorded.

Mr Theman explained that a major area of concern, following analysis of the crashes within the period, was the increasing number of underage drivers in Gombe.

“The corps has stepped up enforcement in that regard to ensure that children don’t engage in any form of driving on roads which could lead to crashes and fatality in some cases,” he added.

According to him, 33 offenders were booked for the use of phones while driving and 18 underage drivers were cautioned within the period under review.

The sector commander appealed to motorists to be mindful of their speed and strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

(NAN)