The Ota Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Commander, Sunday Omafu, has advised motorists to imbibe the culture of defensive driving, urging them to avoid aggression.
He spoke during the Command’s Ember Months’ Campaign, at Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Ota, Ogun State, tagged “Road safety is a shared responsibility; it depends on you and me”.
He said the FRSC was established to address road crashes which had become a social problem with their attendant miseries to the people.
According to him, many have been killed or maimed while several others have become unproductive.
He said researches have shown that the most potent antidote to these avoidable crashes is ‘attitudinal change’, appealing to Nigerians to double their efforts at being safety conscious.
“To tackle this ugly trend, individuals’ responsibilities must be involved,” he said.
Omafu said all road users have a great role to play to guarantee safety on our roads.
“Drivers should stop reckless driving and avoid turning their vehicles to ‘weapons of mass destruction’. They should use them carefully and courteously on the road.”
Pedestrians, he said, should desist from acts capable of endangering their lives, while motorcyclists should stop competing for the right of way with drivers.
He urged road users to develop the habit of self-respect as doing that would make the roads safer.
The Principal Road Traffic Officer (RTO), Ota Branch of the Vehicle Inspection Department (VIO), Commander Osukoya Paul Kehinde, appealed to motorists to always ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on a journey, urging them to maintain utmost discipline while driving.
He said the only obstacle on the roads during ember months is the attitude of road users, noting that ember months are like other months (January – August).
“There is nothing wrong with the days or months, but the individual’s attitudes need to be changed to end crashes on our roads during the ember months. All road users must change their attitudes by mastering traffic rules and regulations.
Osukoya also urged motorists to follow due process of obtaining drivers’ licence, saying drivers’ licence is the only certificate that qualifies one as a driver.
“The consequence of obtaining drivers’ licence through the back-door, according to him, is incessant crashes. Because such person would not undergo the normal training and he/she would lack adequate knowledge of road/traffic signs,” he said.
He urged the agencies responsible for issuing drivers’ licence such as Board of Internal Revenue, FRSC and VIO to be strict in the issuance of drivers’ licence. Mr. Osukoya said it is a serious offence on the part of any motorist who drives using fake drivers’ licence. Such a person will not only be punished but will also risk a jail term.
The Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Comrade Rotimi Rahmon, also urged motorists to ensure compliance with road safety rules and regulations for their own interest and those of other road users.
He said the incessant crashes on the roads result from negligence on the part of motorists, adding that drinking and driving, over-speeding, overloading, wrong overtaking, making and receiving phone calls while driving and other forms of distraction are major causes of road accidents.
He appealed to commercial drivers’ union to amplify their efforts in monitoring activities of their members in order to ensure safety of lives and properties during the Yuletide period and beyond. He also said the unions should ensure that no alcoholic joint exists within the garages.
Comrade Rahmon appealed to those who trade on the highways to leave and look for a safer place, adding that the highways are accident-prone.
Treasurer, Allied Truck Transporters’ Association of Nigeria (ATTAN), Mr Adeniyi Ayeni urged to both federal and state governments to regulate the system of commercial vehicle operations.
He said the rate men of traffic management agencies extort money from transporters is too high.
He also said lack of genuine spare parts contributes to high rate of crashes on our road.
Present at the event were The Ogun State Sector Commander of FRSC, CC Adegoke Adetunji, zonal Public Education/Enlightenment Officer, ACC Olusegun Ogungbemide, Public Relations Officer, Sango Branch of National Union of Petroleum and Gas (NUPENG), Comrade Adebayo Hassan, Managing Director, Skiddo Foods Limited, Mrs Julia Shinaba, Executive Vice-Chairman, Missak Agency International Limited, Mr Jackie A. Kassim, representative of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Ota Zonal Command, Comrade Salako Solomon, Coordinator, Isaka/Igbala Special Marshal and Partnership, Chief Samuel Ajayi and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ibiok Monday.
Others present were Secretary of ATTAN, Mudashiru Taiwo and Secretary of ACCOMORAN, Miss Kafila Kehinde.
