216 Killed On Asaba-Benin Expressway In 2015 – FRSC

NO few than 216 persons were reportedly killed in road accidents along Asaba-Benin Expressway in 2015.

Investigation revealed that road crashes near the Mechanic Village along the Asaba-Benin Expressway were more severe, with 23 persons reportedly burnt to death in November.

Despite efforts by the Delta State Government and the Federal Road Safety Corps, road crashes on the expressway have continued, even as the year 2016 has already recorded no fewer than 26 deaths on the same spot.

A patron of the workers at the Mechanic Village, Mr. Francis Brown who spoke with Southern City News, said, “The state government is insensitive to the killings by these trailers or trucks.

“We have protested, complained to no avail. Over 216 persons were killed last year, 2015, by these trucks. In most cases, their drivers are beaten and the government has not done anything to stop the killings of innocent persons on this spot by the trailer drivers.”

But the state Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vincent Uduaghan, said government was committed to finding a solution to the situation and dismissed as untrue the allegation of insensitivity.

He said, “We are working hard to relocate the trailers elsewhere so as to reduce the carnage caused by these trailer drivers and very soon, they will not be packing here.”

Also, the Delta State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Random Kunven, who spoke with Southern City News, said, “We at the FRSC have tried in our own ways to reduce to road carnage, especially on Asaba-Benin Expressway.

“We observe that some of the drivers who ply the expressway are drunk and they drive recklessly. So, the record so far shows that many have died in head-on collision.

“We are still working hard to ensure that 2016 will not record a great number of crashes as recorded in 2015. We are sensitizing motorists on the rules of highways and we will arrest offenders especially those with overloading and other related offences.”

“We are still working hard to ensure that 2016 will not record a great number of crashes as recorded in 2015. We are sensitizing motorists on the rules of highways and we will arrest offenders especially those with overloading and other related offences.”