Nigeria Records 3,445 Road Crash Deaths In Nine Months

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that 3,445 persons died in road traffic crashes across Nigeria between January and September 2026.

The Abia State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Ngozi Ezeoma, said 7,156 road traffic crashes were recorded nationwide within the nine-month period, leaving 22,292 persons injured.

Ezeoma disclosed this on Monday, November 16, during a joint press briefing with critical stakeholders at the Abia State Sector Command headquarters in Umuahia to commemorate the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

She described the figures as more than statistics, noting that they represented human lives lost, grieving families and communities affected by road tragedies.

“These numbers are more than just statistics as they represent human lives, families in grief and communities in distress,” she said.

The Sector Commander also disclosed that Nigeria recorded 10,446 road traffic crashes in 2025, resulting in 5,289 deaths and 33,400 injuries.

According to her, speeding and human recklessness remain major causes of road crashes, stressing the need for motorists to take responsibility for their safety and that of other road users.

“The light we lit each time our relative dies reminds us that every time we exceed the speed limit, we risk putting out another light forever,” she said.

Ezeoma said the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was themed, “A Light That Unites Us,” with the global campaign slogan, “Remember. Support. Act.”

She explained that the commemoration provided an opportunity to honour those who lost their lives in road crashes, support survivors and bereaved families, recognise the contributions of emergency responders and strengthen efforts to prevent further tragedies.

The Sector Commander said the FRSC had continued to intensify public enlightenment through churches, mosques, schools and media platforms, while using data from its Road Traffic Crash Database Management System to identify high-risk areas for enforcement, surveillance and rescue operations.

She urged motorists to observe speed limits, avoid dangerous overtaking, ensure their vehicles were roadworthy and refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Ezeoma called on the media, government agencies, transport unions, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to support road safety advocacy.

She said the success of road safety interventions should be measured not only by the number of patrols conducted or traffic offenders apprehended, but by the crashes prevented and lives saved.