Speeding remains Nigeria’s deadliest road habit – FRSC

…says 597 killed during 2025 festive road operations

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has identified speeding as the single deadliest habit on Nigerian roads, revealing that at least 597 persons lost their lives during the 2025/2026 festive road operations conducted between 15 December 2025 and 15 January 2026.

Shehu Mohammed, the Corps Marshal, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press conference in Abuja while briefing the media on Operation Zero and the overall road traffic crash performance of the Corps in 2025.

According to the FRSC, an objective comparison of the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 festive periods showed a 3.4 per cent increase in total road traffic crashes, which rose from 665 to 687 cases. The number of persons involved increased from 5,761 to 5,942, while fatalities climbed from 571 to 597, representing a 4.2 per cent rise. Injuries also increased slightly from 2,462 to 2,522.

However, the Corps noted an improvement in emergency response outcomes, as the number of victims rescued without injury rose from 2,697 to 2,792, reflecting enhanced rescue and post-crash response capacity.

He noted that speed limit violations accounted for 41 per cent of all identified causes of crashes during the December 2025 operations. He added that while rescue interventions helped save lives, risky road user behaviour continued to undermine safety during peak travel periods.

“Speed limit violation accounted for 41 per cent of all identified causes of road traffic crashes in December 2025. Speed remains the single greatest threat to life on Nigerian roads. The data is clear: speed kills, indiscipline sustains crashes, and disciplined enforcement saves lives,” Mohammed said

The Corps Marshal explained that the most severe crashes during the festive season were recorded along major interstate and peri-urban corridors. Routes such as Benin–Asaba–Awka, Zuba–Kaduna–Zaria, Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Bauchi–Darazo–Potiskum, Abuja–Lokoja, Mai Adua–Daura–Kazaure–Dambata, and Enugu–Umuahia–Aba accounted for significant fatalities, many of which resulted from speeding, dangerous overtaking, loss of control, tyre bursts and brake failure.

From an enforcement perspective, the FRSC recorded a rise in traffic violations during the period. The number of offenders apprehended increased from 28,170 in 2024/2025 to 29,317 in 2025/2026, while offences booked rose from 31,829 to 33,190. Through intensified mobile court operations nationwide, 1,276 offenders were arraigned, 1,105 convicted, and 171 discharged or acquitted.

Corridor-based analysis further showed that in December 2025, the FCT metropolis recorded the highest number of crashes with 97 cases, followed by Zuba–Kaduna–Zaria with 86 crashes, and Lafia–Akwanga–Keffi–Goshen with 80 crashes. These corridors also recorded the highest fatality burden, justifying sustained patrol dominance and speed enforcement.

Vehicle involvement data indicated that buses were the most implicated vehicle category, accounting for 339 crash cases in December 2025 alone, reinforcing the Corps’ zero-tolerance stance on commercial driver indiscipline, fatigue driving and speed abuse.

On an annual scale, the FRSC disclosed that total road crashes increased by 9.2 per cent from 9,570 in 2024 to 10,446 in 2025, while fatalities declined marginally by 2.4 per cent, from 5,421 to 5,289, translating to 132 lives saved. The Corps noted that although the reduction confirms the effectiveness of post-crash response, it fell short of its 10 per cent fatality reduction target.

Mohammed attributed the rising crash figures to increased exposure, weak compliance and declining deterrence, rather than a lack of laws or awareness. He announced a series of policy directives, including intelligence-led, risk-based enforcement, zero tolerance for five major offences, speeding, dangerous driving, drunk or drug-impaired driving, wrong-way driving and overloading and stricter enforcement of speed limit device installation on commercial vehicles.

“The rising number of crashes is not an act of fate; it is a failure of compliance. Where discipline collapses, enforcement must rise,” the Corps Marshal said

He assured Nigerians that the FRSC would intensify enforcement, strengthen accountability at command levels and sustain improvements in emergency response, in line with its mandate to prevent crashes, enforce compliance and save lives on Nigerian roads.

“First, all Commands shall transition from routine patrols to intelligence-led, risk-based enforcement. Deployment shall be driven by crash-prone corridors, high-risk time bands and vehicle categories. Crash Intelligence Desks are to be established at Sector Commands, with weekly hotspot analysis and mandatory deployment to the top 20% high-risk corridors.

“Second, the Corps will enforce zero tolerance on the “Big Five” offences responsible for over 70% of fatal and serious crashes: speed violation, dangerous driving, drunk or drug-impaired driving, wrong-way driving, and overloading. Daily radar enforcement, intensified night and weekend DUI operations, and strict sanctions for recalcitrant offenders will be enforced nationwide,” he added