Federal Road Safety Corps, says forty-nine people died and four hundred and thirty others were injured in two hundred and sixty-four Road Traffic Crashes between January and June in Lagos.

According to its Lagos State Command, two thousand two hundred and fourteen persons were involved in the two hundred and sixty-four traffic accidents within the period under review.

Its Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje, said twenty-five thousand three hundred and forty-four offenders were arrested for twenty-seven thousand nine hundred and seventy offences, ranging from seat belt violations, driving without valid driver’s licence, tyre default, broken windscreen and overloading.

According to Omeje, other offences that attracted the corps’ attention include driving against traffic, wrong overtaking, drunk-driving, among others.

Omeje gave an assurance that the corps would not relent in its resolve to reduce carnage on the road, saying no effort would be spared in bringing sanity to the roads, as the command was intensifying on its operations in the next half of the year to reduce road traffic crashes to the barest minimum.

He said the had embarked on Operation Show Your Driver’s Licence’ to make sure only certified drivers were on the road, while those who were not qualified were removed from the road, saying the corps nationwide had startedOperation Safe-To- Load’ to bring sanity to the operations of tankers and trailers.

Omeje urged road users to be extra careful on the roads and to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules and regulations.

Also, Assistant Corp Commander, Emma Fekoya, appealed to road users to comply with safety rules and regulations.

According to Fekoya, those without requisite driving skills to upgrade in order to mitigate accidents as a result of ignorance of traffic rules.

Fekoya gave the advice during a sensitisation lecture, advising people who obtained driver’s licence without the proper training, to do the right thing by enrolling in driving schools because learning to drive from spouses, family or friends, did not guarantee getting the right skills.

She said FRSC had the mandate to check vehicles, in order to ensure they complied with minimum safety standards for driving, saying the awareness campaign was necessary to bridge the knowledge gap between the FRSC and road users.

Fekoya said road users often misunderstood traffic rules and the role of the FRSC, and called for a renewed commitment to the awareness campaign which the corps embarked on since inception.

She said FRSC was on a tour of organisations and communities to educate people on the need to keep the roads safe by keeping the rules.