By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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The Zonal Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Uche Omeje, has revealed that Ekiti State recorded a total of 102 road traffic cases in the last nine months, with 41 lives lost.
Omeje disclosed further that a cumulative number of 292 commuters were injured in the crashes out of 693 persons that were involved in the accidents .
The FRSC boss, who is in charge of Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi States Zone, spoke on Tuesday while flagging off ”Ember Month Safety Campaign’ in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
Omeje, who attributed the incessant accidents on roads to recklessness and over-speeding on the parts of motorists, said bad roads and general insecurity pummeling the nation, were also contributing to increasing carnages on the roads.
He said, “We have recorded a total of 102 road traffic cases in 2021, with 41 losing their lives while a total of 292 were injured out of 693 victims that were involved.
“Our men would continue to work hard to ensure that we reduce accidents, particularly during these ember months when accidents are common due to anxiety about the coming yuletide and other pressing issues.
“We remember the good old days when we used to have good roads and without insecurity. Night travels were high then and there was better safety of lives and our vehicles.
” We have to start being defensive in our driving. Using phones while driving is very common among the elites and the youths are also part of the problems. So, the Okada riders are not the only people causing crashes and deaths on our roads.”
The FRSC State Sector Commander, Mrs Elizabeth Akinlade, said the Commission would partner religious and community leaders as well as other stakeholders to reduce autocrashes during yuletide.
Declaring the campaign open, the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, appealed to the leaders of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria(RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW) to warn their members against drunkiness and reckless driving while driving .
“I want the police to patrol motorparks and ensure they don’t sell alcohol and hard drugs there. FRSC too must continue to monitor the activities of these drivers on the roads.
“Banning of alcohol was effected in Lagos State at a time. Our drivers must not endanger people’s lives while driving, They must abide by all traffic laws, because our roads are guided by laws to ensure orderliness”.
On blockage of roads by faulty heavy duty vehicles, thereby causing gridlocks, Egbeyemi urged the federal government to give each state one towing vehicles to remove such vehicles for free flow of traffic .
“Our drivers must stay away from alcohol and Indian hemp to reduce fatalities. Hard drugs intake will automatically bring overspending, reckless overtaking and killing of innocent souls and we have to desist from it,”he said.