'We'll go deep on road safety advocacies to stem crashes'

The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Hyginus Omeje, has said the Corps would intensify more on road safety advocacy involving transport stakeholders, to stem the high level of crashes.
He said the Corps would work in collaboration with transport stakeholders and other security agencies in enforcing traffic rules, adding that it would embark on rigorous public enlightenment campaigns to eliminate crashes.
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The sector commander said it was quite unfortunate that crashes increased last year despite efforts of FRSC to reduce them, noting that the command recorded 557 crashes with 119 people killed last year, compared to 355 with 103 killed in 2018.
He said the increment was caused by falling of tankers and trailers with much spillage of products, adding that most of the crashes were fatal as a result of fire outbreak due to the spillage of content whenever a crash occurred.
Omeje said it was imperative to involve transport stakeholders, especially the fleet owners and operators in the public enlightenment campaigns and as stringent enforcement that would enable the Corps achieve its target of 20 per cent reduction of crashes and 25 per cent fatalities.

He noted that the Corps would solidify the Memorandum of Understanding established with Nigeria Port Authority and Nigeria Shippers Council to ensure no truck of tanker load without certified minimum standard of operation. Adding that any tanker without safety valve would not allow to load and will be impound.

Commander Omeje stressed that the Corps operatives would always go on patrol with both digital and disposable breathliser/alcoholiser to check to stem high level of drunk driving, saying any driver test positive while on transit would definitely be prosecuted.

He appealed to fleet operators to embrace the renewal policies that will enable them replaced old vehicles to new. He said 80 percent of the trucks and tankers are old without genuine parts. Adding that, henceforth, there will be zero tolerance for rickety vehicles on the road.

Omeje said all fleet owners and operators are expected to ensure their vehicle meet up with minimum standard before putting it on the road. He also urged them to always train and retraining their drivers to enable them have adequate knowledge of safety rules and regulations.

He also begged the fleet owners and companies to always reward the drivers who drive for a stipulated time without have crashes, adding that it would encourage more obedient to traffic rules while on steering.