Stop linking road crashes to spirits, Corps Marshal tells drivers

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called on drivers to disabuse their minds from the believe that spirits are responsible for road crashes, rather, should know that, an increase in bad driving behaviour, and impatience are the major causes.

Penpushing reports that, the Acting Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu made this known while delivering speech at the official flag off of 2023 Ember months mega rally held on Monday at Its-Oshin  motorpark in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital

The Corps Marshall disclosed that the authorities is working assiduously to ensure a significant shift in the attitude of motorists, stressing that the rally has become particularly imperative in view of the envisioned increase in vehicular and human movement across the country as this festive period gathers momentum.

Penpushing further reports that, Biu who noted that the theme for this year’s rally is “Avoid Speeding, Overloading and Unsafe Tyres to Arrive Alive”, said it was therefore apt to affirm that this campaign is a timely reminder that drinking and driving, overloading of vehicles, use of worn out tyres, lane indiscipline, excessive speed, wrongful overtaking do not only pose a threat to the life of the driver, but also to the lives and properties of all road users

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) boss pointed out that such bad driving behaviours are still threats to the state of road infrastructures which costs a lot of tax payers’ resources to produce, adding that the fallout from this is the tendency for drivers to violate speed limits for possible economic or social gains, commit lane indiscipline, over load their vehicles and disregard other traffic rules and regulations.

‘Nigerians must be aware that frequent cases of road crashes on our roads is not linked to any spirit killing people, rather, an increase in Human and Vehicular movement, bad driving behaviour, and impatience are the major causes’, he emphasised.

Penpushing also reports that, he stated that, these violations heighten the spate and fatalities of road traffic crashes within the period, thus tasking the capability of members of the Corps and in fact, other stakeholders who are worried by the negative consequences of such violation leading to the pervasive obstructions, death and injuries as well as loss of man hours caused by the delays.

The commander added that, its expedient to state that as part of efforts to deal with these challenges, the Corps came up with the idea of taking the message of safety down to all the motor parks quite early due to the critical role the union officials play on the road; as a prelude to massive deployment of personnel and logistics to the highways, particularly at the black spots for the containment of the perennial traffic gridlock and the accompanying hazards.

Penpushing reports that, he disclosed that, on the occasion of this flag off, over 800 patrol vehicles, 100 ambulances, 27 tow trucks and 83 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics, adding that in addition, adequate reflective jackets, traffic crones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers  are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.

‘As part of the strategies, a total of 22 Help Areas have been equally set aside for this operation, to also ensure prompt removal of obstructions, death and injuries during the period. This is in addition to the various traffic control camps which would  be dedicated solely  to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned  by personnel on 24/7 basis all through the ember months’.

‘The Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthened surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways’.

‘As such, all Commanding Officers have equally been directed to step up patrol operations and ensure strict enforcement of critical offences like overloading, driving rickety vehicles, excessive smoke emission,  Speed Limit Violations, Overloading Violation, use of phone while driving, drunk driving, Tyre  violations, light signs violations including directional lights headlights, backlight and break light, among others’.

‘Conscious  of the  fact that FRSC alone cannot shoulder the responsibilities  of ensuring safer road environments, the Corps has directed Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their  operational areas for the  needed moral and logistics  as well as security  support’, Biu stated.

‘Some of such identified stakeholders are: Military formations (enroute or resident), the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident), DSS (enroute or resident), the Nigeria Immigration Service, NSCDC (enroute or resident), Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Traffic Management Agencies etc’, he emphaised

Penpushing further reports that, he  charged all  stakeholders  to remain steadfast in the campaign for safer road use, bearing in mind that road traffic crashes don’t just happen; they are the products of the actions and in actions of men, and as such, can be averted.

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