The   Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said yesterday that  its Ambulance Service Scheme rescued 1,554 road accident victims and arrested 1.4 million traffic offenders between January and June.

Mr Osita Chidoka, FRSC Corps Marshal  and Chief Executive, announced  this in Ilorin  at a two_day capacity building workshop for its senior officers in Zone 8.
“ From January to June, 2010,  we have recorded 2,709 road traffic crashes resulting to the death of  1,882 people and injuring of  8,728 others,” he added.

He said the efforts of  the commission had  resulted in 51, 43 and 40 percent reduction in crashes, deaths and injuries respectively in the first half of  2010.

Chidoka identified  the major challenges facing road safety in the country as including  absence of  nationwide standards on driver training and  dearth of  driving schools.

He also cited lack of   proper regulation, poor road network,  cumbersome driver’s licensing process and aged road infrastructure.

Nigeria, he said,  loses three  percent of  its  Gross Domestic Product  or 17 percent of the country’s national reserves through road crashes.

“ The income lost from 2009 road traffic crashes in Nigeria was more than the GDP of over 20 individual African countries, ” he added.

He called on government to spend more on road safety  in order to reduce road carnage.

Chidoka said  the commission had  been working relentlessly to ensure  a safe motoring environment.

To this end, he said  the commission procured 202 new patrol vehicles, refurbished 200 others, bought six new heavy duty tow trucks, 26 new ambulances and 246 new patrol motor bikes.

Also addressing participants, the Commanding Officer of  FRSC  Zone 8,  Austin Aipoh, said the training was to prepare officers  for the task ahead and keep them abreast of emerging trends in  road safety.

He said resource persons were drawn from specialised agencies like the Red Cross Society.