FRSC apprehends 162,834 traffic offenders in six months

According to information obtained by The PUNCH, the Federal Road Safety Corps has detained 162,834 traffic violators across the country since January 2023.

This was revealed to our correspondent on Sunday by Bisi Kazeem, the corps spokesperson.

Kazeem claims that the 179,165 offenses for which the traffic offenders were arrested.

He declared, “The corps recorded a total of 179,165 offenses and 162,834 traffic offender arrests from January to June 2023 alone.

The FRSC spokesperson described the types of offenses that led to the arrests, saying, “They were arrested for speeding, seatbelt use violation, route violation, light sign violation, use of phone while driving, overloading, and dangerous driving.

The FRSC must use more technologies, including the installation of CCTV cameras “at the blind spots to capture traffic offenders,” according to Jide Owatunmise, Chief Executive Officer of Professional Driving and Safety Academy, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday.

“The CCTV cameras can be connected to the BVN of vehicle owners for immediate, automated deduction of traffic violation fines.

“The captured offenders may be immediately detained, detained later, or prohibited from renewing their vehicle information, driver’s license, or making any insurance claims until they have fully paid their fines and have also completed the required refresher training at approved driving schools.

He argued that traffic offenders should always be prosecuted using mobile small claim courts.

The FRSC spokesman also revealed that between January and June, 4,387 people died in road traffic accidents across the 36 states of the union and the Federal Capital Territory.

Kazeem said, “The corps also recorded 14,108 injuries from the crashes within the same period.

“These crashes occurred as a result of night trips, fatigue, route violation, dangerous overtaking, use of worn out/expired tyres and speeding.

“And you know our men do not operate at night, as such these drivers take advantage of our absence on the road at night to violate established traffic regulations.”

Kazeem said an investigation by the FRSC also showed that a lot of the crashes involved untrained and inexperienced drivers.