The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Sector Command, has frowned at the low compliance level to traffic laws by drivers of heavy duty vehicles in the state.
The Ogun sector Commander, Mr Anthony Uga, gave the warning on Thursday, during the 2023 Ember Months campaign flag off held at Asero park in Abeokuta .
He disclosed that in 10 months, 349 trucks and articulated vehicles were involved in road accidents in Ogun.
Uga explained that between January and September of 2023, there was
a marginal increase over the 347 cases of
trucks and articulated vehicle crashes in the state during the same period in 2022.
The theme of the Ember Months campaign is ” Speed Thrills but Kills: Drive Responsibly and Avoid Overspeeding”.
The sector commander, however, noted that most of the vehicles involved in the accidents were those only transiting through the state.
He called on truck operators in the state to prioritise safety of their
trucks and ensure that drivers exhibited high level professionalism in their chosen career.
He reiterated FRSC’s commitment to sustaining its prompt response to the removal of broken trucks and other vehicles
along Lagos – Ibadan and other expressways in the state.
He, however, observed the improved compliance level to
traffic regulations by Inter-State commercial vehicles in the state.
” Overloading, failure to use seatbelt, especially drivers and front passengers as well as drivers’
licence violations have reduced among these category of commercial vehicles,” he said.
Uga urged drivers to resist the temptation to speed beyond stipulated limits especially on Lagos-Ibadan and Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway.
” Most cases of tyre burst along Abeokuta – Sagamu
expressway are induced by excessive speed which results in injuries, permanent
disabilities and loss of lives,” he said.
The FRSC boss said that the command had commenced joint sensitisation with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
against illicit drugs and alcohol.
He called on tansport union leaders to continually
discourage their members from engaging in intake of alcohol before driving.
Uga called on passengers to display vigilance by cautioning speeding drivers and discourage
overloading by drivers.
Mr Gilbert Igbokwe, FRSC’s Zonal Commanding in charge of Lagos and Ogun, noted that most crashes were speed related .
Igbokwe called on stakeholders and road users to support the corps through exemplary behaviours on the roads and spread the message of road safety in various communities.
Mr Gbenga Dairo, Ogun Commissioner for Transportation, said that the state government appreciated the collaboration between FRSC and the State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).
Dairo urged all stakeholders to be mindful of safety on the road, appealing to transport unions to ensure safety of their passengers.
Mr Mukaila Mustapha, representing Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), urged its members to drive cautiously, saying it was important to obey traffic rules and regulations.
