The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, has disclosed that distracted driving was responsible for more than 15 per cent of all Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) recorded in Lagos State in 2024.
This alarming statistic was revealed by the State Sector Commander, Kehinde Hamzat, during the 2025 Ember Months Public Enlightenment and Sensitisation Campaign held in Lagos on Thursday. The campaign, a collaboration with Guinness Nigeria Ltd., was themed, ‘Take Responsibility for your Safety – Stop Distracted Driving’.
Persistent Distractions and Shared Responsibility
Commander Hamzat highlighted that distractions remain prevalent despite existing laws and continuous public education. He specifically cited mobile phone use while driving and gaming as common causes.
“Today’s events, therefore, is a call to action, a call to every driver, commuter, pedestrian, police operators, and enforcement agencies to take personal responsibility for safety,” Hamzat stated, emphasising that road safety is a shared responsibility, not solely the duty of the federal system or law enforcement.
Hamzat further explained that the FRSC’s safety goal aligns with the five pillars of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, aiming for zero fatalities even when a crash occurs. These pillars include:
- Road Safety Management: Focusing on legislation and establishing traffic agencies.
- Safer Roads Plus Mobility: Ensuring road design caters to motorists and pedestrians.
- Safer Vehicles.
- Safer Road Users: Highlighting the need for knowledgeable drivers and pedestrians.
- Post-Crash Care: Ensuring immediate access to medical facilities to uphold the “golden hour” for crash victims.
Ember Months Warning: Avoid Haste and Alcohol
The Zonal Commanding Officer for Lagos and Ogun States, Assistant Corps Marshal Ann Oladayo, reinforced the importance of the annual Ember Months campaign, which is designed to instill safety consciousness in the public.
Represented by Corps Commander Anthony Daudu, Oladayo noted that the Ember Months period often sees people rushing to conclude personal activities and projects. This haste, she warned, can lead to confusion and, subsequently, accidents.
She urged the public to exercise patience and take things easy, stressing that driving under the influence of alcohol is a “dangerous and not acceptable” practice. “Life has no duplicate,” Oladayo cautioned.
Echoing the anti-distraction message, Rotimi Odusola, Corporate Relations Director for Guinness Nigeria Plc., noted that combining alcohol with driving is a form of distraction and a criminal offence. “Any form of distraction is a recipe for disaster,” Odusola said, urging the public: “If you choose to drink, do not drive.”
The sensitisation campaign drew a wide range of attendees, including representatives from the National Union of Road Traffic Workers, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Lagos office, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigerian Police, truck and cargo operators, as well as local chiefs from Ojodu land and Isheri Kingdom.
