The Gombe command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says that witches were not responsible for road traffic crashes as perceived by motorists but the recklessness of road users.
Mr Samson Kaura, Sector Commander, Gombe State Command of FRSC, stated this in Gombe on Thursday while briefing journalists on efforts to ensure safety during the 2024 ember months.
Mr Kaura said that the widely-held belief by some Nigerians that evil spirits were responsible for road crashes during ember months was totally false and misleading.
He said that contrary to that belief, major causes of most auto crashes were over speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and drugs, bad tyres, as well as the poor state of motorists’ cars.
According to him, motorists often hide under such falsehoods to avoid being blamed for crashes.
He said that the last four months of the year were marked with increased road traffic in view of the fact that farmers were harvesting and transporting their goods.
He stated that others have wedding and other social events planned for the periods which result in high volume of traffic and “any recklessness in this regard will lead to increased crashes too.
“So this is to disabuse our minds from the beliefs that witches are the ones causing increased crashes during this period of the year.
“There is no scientific proof that crashes are caused by witches as crashes are caused by human, mechanical and environmental factors,” he said.
Mr Kaura advised motorists in the state to stick to traffic rules and obey all road signs while avoiding the temptation of hurrying while using roads in the state.
He said that the command would strengthen enforcement and visibility across the state towards ensuring safety as well as quick response in cases of crashes to reduce fatalities.
(NAN)
