No fewer than 6, 961 traffic offenders have been apprehended for various offences during the just concluded Easter.

According to Federal Road Safety Corps, the figure was against the 5, 936 recorded the previous year.

Corps’ Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem also said a number of Mobile Court sittings were conducted across the country during the period.

Kazeem also said the corps recorded 120 road traffic crashes representing 25 per cent reduction in the total number of crashes that occurred during the 2019 Easter celebration.

He said the figure was against the 160 crashes recorded in the same period in 2018, saying during the 2019 celebration, a total of 1,128 persons were involved in accidents as against 1,163 persons in the same period in 2018, representing three per cent decrease.

Also, the total number of persons rescued with injuries in road traffic crashes during the 2019 celebration was 513 compared to 534 in 2018, representing four per cent decrease.

Kazeem said the feat was achieved due to an overwhelming increase in the total number of personnel deployed for patrol operations, effective traffic control and prompt rescue operations.

Other areas the spokesman said included aggressive public enlightenment campaigns including the effective utilisation of the mass media, motor park rallies and advocacy programmes, and clearing of obstructions.

The corps had deployed 35, 000 personnel during the just concluded Easter celebration.

Kazeem further said the corps would leverage and improve on this strategy for a better result in the future.
“The decrease in crashes recorded this year was because the Easter patrol operations were given a wider coverage than previous years when compared to the same period of Easter celebration in 2018.
“This increased visibility has gone a long way in compelling drivers to abide by established traffic laws,” he said.