2009 OPERATION ZERO – FRSC JAILS TEN MOTORISTS

 Ten  recalcitrant drivers were jailed for various prisons terms ranging from two to six months by Mobile Courts established by the Federal Road Safety Corps along various routes of the nation’s highways during last year’s nationwide Special Patrol tagged Operation Zero.

During this exercise which took place from 18 December 2009 and 10th January, 2010, FRSC Operatives also arraigned 841  drivers out of which 749 offenders were convicted for contravening various traffic regulations such as route violation, overloading, dangerous driving, driving without seatbelts, drunk driving and use of cell phone while driving.

Details of the Yuletide Patrols during which FRSC Operatives covered 21 Corridors and 58 routes of the highways in addition to the establishment of 16 Help Areas along 16 identified blackspots on the Gwagwalada, Abaji, Lokoja, Lafia – Akwanga, Obollo – Affor, Mokora, Onitsha, Mowe, Ore, Hawan Kibo among other road crash – prone areas indicate that about 18,700 offenders were arrested for 19,979 traffic – related offences while 5,532 Motorcycles were impounded for not complying with traffic rules and regulations.

Out of this figure, Zone RS11 Command comprising of Osun, Ondo and Oyo States posted the highest number of 2,908 Offenders, 3,141 traffic offences, with 769 and 791 Vehicles and motorcycles impounded respectively while Zone RS 4 Command made up of Plateau, Benue and Nassarawa States recorded the least figure of 688 Offenders, 761 traffic Offenders with 165 and 174 vehicles and motorcycles impounded respectively.

Available Statistic also indicate a comparative analysis of the 2009 and 2008 exercise  which show that while 525 deaths were recorded in last year’s exercise, 463 persons were killed during the 2008 exercise translating to an increase of 32 deaths.

Meanwhile, a further analysis revealed that the upsurge in 2009 road crash fatalities were attributed to three major incidents:
18 December, 2009 along Dekina – Ayangba road involving 150 persons,  38 injured people and 55 deaths as a result of Speed violation, mechanical deficiency and brake failure of a truck which rammed into 3 other vehicles in a built-up area.
 23 December, 2009 along the Talata Mafara –Gusau road involving an overloaded truck whose driver lost control as a result of dangerous driving involving 54 persons, 23 deaths and 16 injured persons.
30 December, 2009 along the Gombe – Numan road when a truck conveying 36 persons, lost control as a result of mechanical defect and killed 28 persons and seriously injured 4 others.

While year 2008 Patrol exercise recorded 2,423 injuries in 856 reported cases of road traffic crashes , last year accounted for 2,610 injured persons in 803 road crashes.

As the Federal Road Safety Corps expresses serious concern over the spate of road crash fatalities, the motoring public is hereby advised to strictly comply with traffic rules and regulations in order to stem the tide of avoidable road crashes on the highways.