Cross River Records 47 Deaths From Road Crashes —FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Calabar says it recorded 47 deaths in 79 road crashes between January to November of 2011 in Cross River.

The commission’s Sector Commander in the state, Mr. Taiwo Eseyin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Tuesday that 30 of the dead were male.

Eseyin also said that 118 persons, comprising 88 men, 17 women and 13 children, were injured in the road crashes.

He disclosed that the FRSC also have records of seven deaths between December 1 and December 20, 2011 to bring the figure to 54 so far this year.

NAN recalls that the commission had recorded 50 deaths between January and December of 2010 in Cross River.

Eseyin expressed regrets that the crashes were due to the deplorable condition of roads across the state, especially the Itu-Odukpani road.

“The road has been bad this year and most of the crashes occurred between Itu-Odukpani road,” he said, pointing out that most of the crashes were caused by heavy-duty trucks.

The Sector Commander called on the Federal Government to dualise the Itu-Odukpani road for easy movement of heavy-duty trucks and cars in the areas.

He stressed the need for the construction of a new road to accommodate the heavy-duty trucks.

“The new road should be constructed and made wider because that road was made for smaller cars and few vehicles,” the FRSC official said.

Eseyin was optimistic that the commission would reduce road traffic crashes by 50 percent before the year 2020 in the country.

“By Decade of Action, we mean before the year 2020, we want to make sure that road traffic crashes are reduced during this yuletide season by 50 percent.

“We want to make sure that as many people that die will not be more than half of the number of people that died in December last year,” he said.

The Sector Commander then advised road users on the need to use seat-belts, have good tyres and obey all traffic rules.

“In addition, they have to avoid answering or making telephone calls, as well as having alcoholic drinks while driving,” he said.