805 persons killed in Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara road crashes in 3yrs

Atotal of 805 persons have died in road traffic crashes (TRC) in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States in three years.

Zonal Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Zone 10, Sokoto, Dr Kayode Olagunju, who disclosed this Thursday in Sokoto, said the figure was for 2016 to 2018.

He said the most prominent causative factors for the crashes were speed violation, 500 cases (46.2%); dangerous driving 94 (8.7%); route violation 91 (8.4%); wrongful overtaking 86 cases (7.9%) and tyre burst 85 cases (7.8%).

“Most of the crashes recorded in the Zone occurred on Sokoto Jega, Jega - Koko - Yauri, Sokoto - Mafara and Mafara - Tsafeand Tsafe - Funtua routes,” he disclosed in a statement by the Zonal Public Education Officer, Aliyu Ma’aji The zonal commander noted that there were 210 RTC deaths in 2016; while 392 occurred in 2017 and 203 fatalities recorded in 2018.

He said an analysis on state basis showed that in Sokoto State, a total of 122 RTC cases were recorded in 2016, but reduced to 91 in 2017 and raised to 114 in 2018.

In Kebbi State, 145 (2016), 153 (2017) and 139 (2018) RTC cases were Recorded; while Zamfara recorded 164 RTC in 2016, which dropped to 101 in 2017 but increased to 128 in 2018.

According to him, a total of 565 vehicles crashed in the zone in 2018; while 544 vehicles were involved in RTC in 2017 and 679 in 2016.