The FRSC will acquire additional 2,900 patrol vehicles between now and 2020 in line with the UN’s Decade of Action plan to reduce road accidents and deaths.
A statement issued by the commission on Monday in Abuja said that Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal and Chief of the FRSC, announced this at the 2012 Summit of Special Marshals in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The statement signed by the Public Education Officer, Mr Nseobong Akpabio, said the commission would also acquire 58 heavy duty towing vehicles, 1,115 motorcycles and 360 ambulances during the period.
It said that the acquisition of the equipment would enable the FRSC to reduce deaths from road accidents to two per 10,000 accidents as against the current 161 per 10,000.
The statement also said that since the inception of the FRSC’s emergency ambulance service in Abuja and 38 road side clinics at strategic points on the nation’s highways, 38,844 road crash victims had been rescued.
“The FRSC has already achieved a 49.1 per cent reduction in the number of injuries arising from road crashes,” it said, adding that 17, 464 injuries were recorded in 2011 as against 18,336 in 2010.
It quoted Chidoka as saying that the FRSC was poised to vigorously pursue the five pillars of the UN’s framework designed to guide nations to realise road safety goal.
The statement listed the pillars as road safety management, infrastructure, safe vehicle, road users’ behaviour and post crash care.
It said the commission would intensify collaboration with state motor vehicle administration agencies and enforce safety standards to reduce road accidents and deaths.?