The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, said no fewer than 955 persons were arraigned in its mobile courts for various offences across the country in 2018.
Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, on Monday.
Mr Kazeem said that the corps had over 201 courts nationwide and that it was part of its “Operation Zero Tolerance for Road Traffic Crashes” campaign.
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“In 2018, in the operation zero tolerance period, a total of 955 offenders were arraigned as against 442 in the same period in 2017.
“Out of the arraigned offenders, nine were sentenced to prison while 89 were discharged and acquitted during the period in 2018,” he said.
He also said that in December, 2018, 350 offenders were referred to government established medical facilities for Emotional Stability Test.
“The prevalent offences that were committed by the offenders are route violation, dangerous driving, light sign violation and use of phone while driving.”
Mr Kazeem said that the number of road traffic crashes recorded in 2018 was 8, 221, involving a total of 60,050 people.
He added that the corps had put in place proactive measures, including inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Safety of Haulage Operations in Nigeria, to reduce crashes in the country.
“The committee comprises of critical stakeholders in the transport sector like NARTO, NURTW, RTEAN, NUPENG PTD, traffic agencies among others.”
The spokesman said that the committee was saddled with the mandate of curbing crashes involving tankers and other articulated vehicles on the highways.
“Suffice to state that the establishment of the Operation Cobra team by the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, is also a step in the right direction.”
NAN
