No fewer than 261 persons died, while 1,700 others sustained injuries in road traffic crashes from January to November in Oyo State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps Sector Commander in Oyo, Joshua Adekanye, announced this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Ibadan.
Adekanye said the command recorded 609 crashes within the period.
He attributed the major cause of the crashes to speeding, wrong overtaking and tyre burst.
The sector commander said the command had identified four major reasons some motorists engaged in speeding and these included good roads, especially on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
He said most vehicles plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway engaged in speeding due to smooth road in that route.
“Other reasons include insecurity, impatience and desire to make more money, especially the commercial drivers,” he said.
Adekanye said that the command had put a lot of measures in place to guide against, or reduce to the barest minimum, road traffic crashes before, during and beyond the Yuletide season.
The sector commander said the command would continue to enlighten the public and motorists through visits to motor parks and other public places to educate people on the dangers inherent in speeding.
Adekanye said the command started planning for high traffic that usually characterised the Yuletide celebration by flagging off its Ember Months campaign in October.
He said the command would engage in joint patrols with other sister security agencies to address the high flow of traffic.
Adekanye said no fewer than 880 Regular Marshals and 890 Special Marshals would be deployed to ensure free flow of traffic during the Yuletide celebration by the command in the state.
“We have also injected 35 patrol vehicles, two motorcycles, two towing trucks as well as entered into partnership with towing trucks association, for prompt removal of obstruction during this period,” he said.
The sector commander advised motorists to ensure that their vehicles were in good condition and shun night travelling to avoid crashes and other unforeseen circumstances.
