Gombe State recorded 377 motorcycle accidents between January and December 2022 according to the Federal Road Safety Corps in the State.
This was said by the FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Felix Theman, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at its Headquarters, Lafiyawo community in Akko Local Government Area of the state.
According to the commander, the Corps statistics revealed that the 377 motorbike accidents resulted from underage driving, especially at the Gombe metropolis.
Theman said, “underage riding of motorbikes is illegal, we have taken measures to tackle that challenge.”
In his words, “We have instances where very young boys that are not up to the legal age of age 18, parents allowing them to ride recklessly on the road causing unnecessary crashes, particularly within the township.”
Meanwhile, the Corps is taking measures through legal means while also collaborating with the state Judiciary.
“We increased our response to road traffic offences by enforcing mobile courts sitting in collaboration with the state judiciary.
“Through the sitting, we made a high number of arrests particularly during Operation Zero between December 2022 and January 2023 to serve as a deterrent.
During the interview with NAN, the commander also said that FRSC have begun sensitisation especially to parents.
According to him, “For underage, we have embarked on sensitisation targeting parents and those groups of people to tell them the danger of having children riding motorcycles and tricycles.”
Theman said that they have started arresting underage motorbike riders to reduce the rate of accidents.
In the interview, he urged parents and guardians to closely check their children and ensure they are not committing such road traffic offences which could lead to accidents.
