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No fewer that 133 lives were lost in 262 road crashes between January and October in Gombe State.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr. Godwin Omiko, said this during the flag-off of ‘Ember months’ safety campaign in Gombe, yesterday.
According to Omiko, 226 motorcycles and tricycles, 137 vehicles, and 59 trucks were involved in the crashes. The ‘ember months’ refers to the last quarter of the year (September, October, November, and December) where traffic is at its peak.
“We have recorded about 262 crashes involving a total of 1,535 persons out of which 133 were killed, while 781 sustained various degrees of burns and injuries,” Omiko said.
He said that from past experiences, crashes increased during the last four months of the year.
“But we can say no and reverse the trend through our conscious efforts at avoiding all that could lead to crashes at this season,” he said.
Omiko said the command was committed to enforcing the rules of the road and providing improved and prompt rescue services to save lives of crashed victims.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Manasseh Jatau, called on road users to abide with traffic rules and regulations, especially during the ember months.
He warned drivers to desist from driving vehicles with mechanical problems, and being on drugs while driving.
According to him, most of the crashes are as a result of negligence in driving.
Chairman National Union of Road Transport Workers, Ibrahim Bala,commended the FRSC for sensitising the public on safety measures to stay alive.
