… as FRSC warns against night tips, violating speed limits
Seventeen persons have been confirmed killed while four others were injured in an highway crash along Kwali-Abaji expressway before Awawa in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by the Assistant Corps Marshal and Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem in Abuja Okay.ng learnt.
She said the crash, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, involved two vehicles ‐ 1 DAF Trailer with registration number BAU 632 XA, and a Toyota Bus bearing the registration details GME 201 ZU.
Kazeem disclosed that there were 22 occupants involved in the crash, out of which 17 victims, all Male were killed, adding that four other occupants, also male victims who were rescued alive sustained various degrees of injuries, while the remaining one male occupant, was rescued without any injury.
The statement read in part: “The main cause of the crash according to the report were excessive speed (Speed Limit Violation) and fatigue.
“As at the time of this statement, the emergency rescue team of the Corps has concluded the rescue of the injured victims to Abaji General Hospital for immediate medical attention, while the remains of the dead victims were deposited at the mortuary.”
Reacting to the fatal crash, the Acting Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu, cautioned drivers against violating prescribed speed limit and admonished against night trips.
He urged drivers to always observe rest period of 30 minutes after every 4 hours drive so as to avoid the dangers of excessive speed and fatigue on the highways.
Explaining the cause of the crash that claimed 17 lives, Biu maintained that drivers must avoid speeding as crash investigations conducted over the years have attributed major causes of crashes in Nigeria to excessive violation of legal speed limit on all roads.
He revealed that the fatigue was as a result of the driver’s indulgence in a night long trip without observing adequate rest within the driving period.
According to him, it was this and many other factors that necessitated the directive given by the federal government for the Corps to commence sensitisation and subsequently, enforcement on compulsory installation of speed limiting devices.
While warning violators to desist from compromising road traffic regulations, he assured the public that the Corps will step up formidable operational activities that will bring the menace to an end.
To this end, he admonished the public to always patronize the FRSC toll free line 122 and the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM which are always available for all road users to report emergencies at any given time.
