By Bukola Olamona

No fewer than 53 persons lost their lives, while 244 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in 94 road crashes recorded across Ondo State within the first quarter of 2025, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has disclosed.

The alarming figures were made known by the state Sector Commander of the Corps, Dr. Samuel Ibitoye, on Monday, during the commemoration of the 8th United Nations Road Safety Week held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Themed “Streets for Life: Make Walking and Cycling Safe”, the event drew attention to the growing danger on the roads, with Ibitoye revealing that the 2025 first quarter statistics represent a significant rise compared to the same period in 2024 when 33 persons died and 237 were injured in 74 crashes.

According to him, reckless behaviours such as speeding, dangerous overtaking, overloading, fatigue, as well as poor vehicle maintenance and deplorable road conditions were the major causes of the surge in accidents.

He said: “Of the 53 persons killed in these crashes, 39 were male adults, 13 were female adults, and one was a female child.”

Describing the situation as “horrendous and worrisome,” Ibitoye lamented the needless loss of lives due to preventable causes, and called for a complete behavioural overhaul among all road users, including drivers, pedestrians and commercial operators.

He said: “There is urgent need for attitudinal change. Drivers must shun drunk driving, speeding and road rage. Commercial drivers, in particular, are often at the centre of these incidents and must take responsibility for their actions on the road.”

He called on policymakers, engineers, and transport authorities to step up their commitment to road safety, stressing that a multi-sectoral approach was required to reverse the dangerous trend.

While commending Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for efforts aimed at improving road infrastructure and mobility across the state, the FRSC boss also appealed to contractors handling road projects to incorporate cycling lanes and pedestrian walkways in future designs.

“This will not only reduce traffic congestion but also encourage healthier lifestyles and help cut carbon emissions by promoting non-motorised transport,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state, Comrade Adeniyi Oyedapo, and the Deputy Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Kareem Tajudeen, lauded the FRSC for its consistent advocacy on safe road use.

They noted that their unions were already carrying out internal sensitisation programmes to educate members on the importance of regular vehicle checks and compliance with road safety protocols.