1.35m People Died In Road Crashes In Six Months.

The United Nations has said from December 2018 till date, about 1.35 million persons have lost their lives as a result of road accidents across the globe.

National Focal Person/Country Director, United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety and Traffic Injury Prevention, Nigeria, Dr. Sydney Ibeanusi, revealed this during the 5th global road safety week at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, on Saturday.

According to him, the statistics globally show that about 1.35 million persons have died annually.

He added that in 2010 during the decade declaration, about 1.23 million people also died.

He noted that the target was to reduce the figure by 60 per cent by the end of 2020.

Ibeanusi, who expressed worry over the alarming rate of deaths in accidents, said the crashes mostly occurred in developing countries such as Nigeria.

He called on road users to reduce the accident rate.

He said, “We don’t want to be part of the negative statistics. Over 70 per cent of road crashes are caused by road users’ behaviour; either the driver is reckless or is under the influence of some intoxicants.”

The wife of the Corps Marshal, Mrs. Bolanle Oyeyemi, who also doubled as the chairperson of Road Safety Officers Wives Association, said they were at FMC Keffi to show their love to victims of road crashes and other patients on admission in the hospital and to give them some welfare packages.

Earlier, Medical Director/Chief Executive, FMC, Keffi, Dr Yahaya Adamu, commended the ROSOWA and UN for their gestures, calling on other relevant stakeholders and government to come to the assistance of the victims of road crashes across the nation.