NEWSIE EVENTS:
The Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Biu, has proposed imposing imprisonment sentences on drivers accountable for road accidents.
Biu put forward this suggestion following recent preventable crashes in Oyo, Kano, and Kaduna states.
According to reports from The PUNCH, accidents occurred at Gaya Junction in Kano and Tashan Yari in Kaduna on April 18 and 19, 2024, resulting in a total of 18 fatalities.
Additionally, a crash on the Oyo-Ogbomoso route claimed the lives of 19 passengers on April 14, 2024.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Biu stressed that the FRSC has urged all state governments to prosecute these drivers rigorously for violating road laws.
He emphasized the necessity for strict penalties, including imprisonment without the option of fines, to discourage reckless driving.
The Corps Marshal said, “We have written to all state governors to help prosecute drivers that are causing road crashes. We have received a letter from the Kaduna State government of its commitment to prosecute these drivers. We hope that other states will follow suit in directing their commissioners of justice or police so that the drivers who indulge or violate road rules are prosecuted.
“In fact, we are advocating a jail term without an option of fines, so that by the time we have 50 jailed drivers, everyone will take caution. It is a collective effort.”
The Corps Marshal also stated that the FRSC was increasing engagement with the judiciary in all 36 states to speed the trials of drivers involved in traffic accidents.
Biu stated that violators would face legal repercussions to discourage others from driving carelessly.
He noted, “The FRSC is already deepening ongoing collaboration with the judiciary across the 36 federation states for speedy trial of drivers involved in road traffic crashes.
As such, all drivers and vehicle owners who cause crashes on the roads will face the wrath of the law, and this will serve as a deterrent to others who are recalcitrant and drive dangerously or recklessly on the road.”
He also noted a reduction in fatalities during the 2024 Easter and Eid-el-Fitr holidays compared to the previous year, indicating progress in road safety efforts.
“During the 2024 Easter special patrol period, the corps recorded a reduction in fatalities, as 33 victims were killed in 2024 against 81 killed in the same period in 2023. This represents a 59.3 percent reduction.
“Similarly, during the Eid-El-Fitr special patrol, while the total number of people killed in 2023 was 59, those killed in the same period in 2024 were reduced to 28, signifying a drop of 52.5 percent,” Biu said.
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