The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Imo on Tuesday said it recorded 38 deaths from 110 road accidents from January to December 2016.

Mr Jude Eke, the Deputy Corps Commandant of the state, made the disclosure in an interview in Owerri.

Eke, also the FRSC Head of Operations, said that 63 people were seriously injured, while 10 others sustained minor injuries during the period under review.

He said that the command arrested 12,300 offenders and recorded 12,783 offences, and described the offenders as “recalcitrant’’.

He said that 448 were booked for failure to pullover; 1,974, worn out tyres; 2,740 seatbelts violation; and 939, number plate violation.

Eke said the command recorded significant reduction in road crashes in 2016 as against the 2015, adding that the reduction was due to enhanced strategies adopted by the FRSC.

“Our mandate this year is to reduce road traffic crashes to 15 per cent and reduce fatalities by 25 per cent, but we achieved that in 2016 and hoped to improve on that as we progresses,’’ he said.

On the enforcement of speed limit device, Eke explained that though FRSC commenced the policy with commercial vehicles, private vehicle drivers were being educated on the policy.

“FRSC will obviously extend the speed limiter device policy to private vehicle owners, and so the motive of the corps to stop and educate private vehicle users is to educate them on the policy and prepare their minds ahead of time,’’ he said.

Eke also said that passengers had a role to play in achieving crash-free roads.

“Some passengers are more professional drivers than the driver carrying them and as such if a driver carrying you is reckless, driving and answers phones, playing music loudly, engage in distractive conversations it is your duty to call him to order.

“Do not relax on the grounds that the driver is in-charge because life has no duplicate.

“Continue to insist that he stop any of these conducts because these are the clear indicators that end up in accidents,’’ Eke said.