FRSC launches 2025 ember months campaign, cracks down on distracted driving amid alarming crash figures

In a decisive move to curb road accidents during the high-risk Ember Months, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has officially launched its 2025 safety campaign.

The initiative, themed “Take Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving,” places the onus for safety directly on drivers.

FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, unveiled the campaign in Abuja, stressing that human error and negligence are the primary causes of accidents during this period.

He called for a collective effort to address dangerous behaviors and acknowledged the media as a crucial ally in spreading this life-saving message.

The campaign launch follows the release of grim statistics. Reports indicate that from December 2024 to January 2025 alone, 432 lives were lost and over 2,000 people were injured.

More broadly, the first nine months of 2025 saw 3,433 fatalities and over 22,000 injuries from 6,858 road crashes, with driver fatigue, overloading, and hazardous practices like transporting fuel in plastic containers cited as major causes.

In response, the FRSC has outlined a multi-pronged strategy to promote safer roads. Key actions include:

· Increased patrols and free vehicle inspections to ensure roadworthiness.

· Awareness rallies at motor parks and town hall meetings with transport unions.

· A targeted focus on violations like speeding, drunk driving, and non-use of seat belts.

Beyond immediate patrols, the FRSC is reinforcing its foundational systems:

· Enhanced Driver Training: Partnerships with driving schools to improve education standards.

· Fleet Safety: Collaboration with operators to ensure vehicle compliance.

· Mobile Courts: Deployment to promptly address overloading and speeding.

· License System Overhaul: A major upgrade to the driver’s license process, with daily production capacity increased to 15,000.

A new biometric system for instant license printing is also underway, aiming to eliminate the backlog and phase out temporary licenses.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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