How Abuja road accidents killed 159, injured 1,572 persons in 2021

A total of 850 road traffic crashes were recorded in the FCT resulting in 159 deaths and 1,572 injuries between January and November, The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the FCT, Oga Ochi, disclosed this at the 2021 Special Marshal Sectorial Workshop on Saturday in Abuja.

He attributed the causes of the accidents in the FCT to disobedience of traffic rules and lack of patience among road users.

Ochi said, “Between January and Nov. 19, 2021, a total of 850 road traffic crashes was recorded in the FCT resulting in 159 deaths and 1572 injuries.

“This trend, if not quickly addressed and reversed, could constitute a major impediment to the economic growth of FCT.” He said 75 per cent of the crashes resulted from overspeeding.

One of the most frequent causes of road accidents in Nigeria and the world is tired drivers. This is particularly common among the long-haul truck drivers, as they often have to travel long distances without much chance to rest.

According to the FRSC, there were 12,077 road accidents of which 5,400 persons died in 2015. In 2016, the NBS said there were 11,363 crashes with 5,053 deaths; and in 2017, 10,026 crashes and 5,049 deaths.