No fewer than 130 people have lost their lives in various road accidents across Ondo State between January and September 2025, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The State Sector Commander, Dr. Samuel Ibitoye, disclosed this during the 2025 Ember Months Press Conference held in Akure with the theme “Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving.”
Ibitoye revealed that the state recorded 259 road traffic crashes within the first nine months of the year. Out of these, 71 were fatal, 173 serious, and 15 minor.
He described the development as alarming, warning that unless urgent and strategic measures were taken, the casualty figures could rise as the year draws to an end.
“It is lamentable that we lost 130 precious lives to road crashes within this period. This trend cannot be left unchecked,” he said.
The commander noted that the ember months were typically marked by heavy vehicular movement, impatience, and reckless driving, which often led to avoidable tragedies.
To curb the rising incidents, Ibitoye said the FRSC had launched an intensive campaign focusing on driver education, strict enforcement of traffic laws, and 24-hour emergency response operations across the state.
He added that mobile courts would sit regularly to handle traffic offences on the spot, while medical outreach programmes would be conducted in motor parks to assess drivers’ health and fitness.
Ibitoye appreciated Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other stakeholders for their continuous support toward ensuring safer roads in the state, even as he urged motorists to be vigilant and obey traffic rules.
“Our collective goal is to make this year’s ember months free of fatalities. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility,” he stressed.
