From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has said 9 students were killed in road traffic crashes between January-March this year, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this yesterday at a road safety education programme, in Abuja.
Represented by the FCT Sector Commander, Samuel Ogar Ochi, he said: “We have a statistics of fatal crashes of students. 9 cases have been recorded in road crashes in FCT between January and March, this year. They were killed.
“The recent one that I mentioned is the case that happened at a Lugbe car wash of a motorcyclist that was carrying a student and was passing one way and it led to the death of the student. This is unfortunate.”
Also, worried by the increasing cases of road traffic crashes, the Greenlight Initiative and Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN), tutored over 500 students in Abuja on precautionary measures.
The Executive Director of Greenlight Initiative, Simon Obi, said:”We have invited more than seven schools with a population of 500 students to participate in this exercise. The exercise is a road safety engagement programme.
“We hope to enlighten the young people on road safety and all they need to know to ensuring their safety of others while they use the road.
“It is estimated that road traffic crashes has been the leading killer of young people in globally.
“So, road crashes kill more young people than any other disease you can think of. We are working with the Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria to organise this road safety engagement for young people.
“The kids will be assessed on what they have learnt today and a trophy will be given,” Obi said.
In addition, ATCN President, Bamaiyi Ishaku, said in the furtherance to the campaign, “on 4th June, 2022, one hundred drivers will be trained on school zones, to promote awareness on road signs; especially the zebra crossing in front of schools and other locations.
“In accordance with the approval by FIA to implement the project in 2021, we shall, with the approval of the FCT Transport Secretariat, start the safety improvement campaign by next week.”