The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has pledged to ensure a drastic reduction in road crashes in Kogi State.

The FRSC Kogi sector commander, Samuel Oyedeji, gave the assurance in an interview with reporters in Lokoja on Wednesday.

Mr Oyedeji said his mandate as a new sector commander in the state was to reduce the rate of road crashes, especially on the Abuja-Lokoja highway axis, where many trucks were plying the roads.

“As a corps, we have put a lot of measures to ensure that lives are saved from avoidable road crashes in Kogi,” he said.

He said the corps discovered that the crashes were speed-related, noting that most vehicles in the state do not have speed limit devices.

As a gateway to the Northern and Southern parts of the country, the sector commander noted that Kogi witnessed a high volume of traffic on the highways, whereby the slightest mistake brought catastrophe.

He said that was why the corps planned to ensure the highways were safe, always free, and not blocked, especially during festivities.

“We will ensure that our personnel are at every black spot to checkmate speed and overloading as well as road blockages by trucks and faulty vehicles on the highways during festivities,” he said.

On rapid response to accident alarms and scenes, Mr Oyedeji said FRSC had increased the number of unit commands to 10, aside from the three Zebra stations – 9, 13, and 43, and outpost stations to eight with 10 staff across the state.

He said the corps will ensure motorists obtain number plates, driver’s licence and vehicle particulars.

“We are about to design a proposal for a special patrol in the state so that we ensure those who have not complied with these rules do so for the safety of life and property on the highways, ” he said.

(NAN)