At the launch of the road safety 2020 Lagos/Ogun zonal Ember month campaign titled Stay Safe, Drive Safe, the Assistant Corps Marshal Imoh Etuk, Zonal Commanding Officer RS2 has urged road users to be careful to avoid injuries, deaths and accidents.
He advised road users to follow COVID-19 prevention guidelines to save the country from more deaths.
He said that road accidents were too frequent with more losses recorded than the novel Coronavirus. Last year, an alarming 9,698 accidents happened with 4,737 deaths and 30,744 people injured.
“It is against this backdrop that the FRSC in Zone 2, in July and September, partnered some stakeholders to launch COVID-19 Enlightenment Kiosk to educate the public on COVID-19 safety protocols and also to educate the motoring public especially in motor parks on best driving practices to keep the highway safe for all road users,” Etuk said.
He mentioned that since overspeeding was the cause of most accidents, the FRSC was introducing a speed limiting device and would enforce its use by commercial motorists.
He further said that overloading a vehicle was another major accident cause and that the dangers were enormous. “It hampers the drivers’ ability to control the vehicle, overloaded goods also pose a challenge to other road users,” he said.
Mr Cyril Matthew represented Corps Commander Olusegun Ogungbemi, Lagos State Sector Command of FRSC. Matthew said that Lagos would not relent in keeping the roads safe for users and that drivers should drive with caution these Ember months, embrace defensive driving and also drive within the recommended speed limit for their vehicle class.
He also advised against the use of phones while driving.
Ogun Sector Commander, Corps Commander Ahmed Umar said drivers should be considerate of other road users because there was more vehicular traffic during ember months.
Also present were Ayo Fanimokun, President of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) represented by Assistant National Secretary, Mr Adedokun Taiwo.
They urged road users to obey traffic rules and be more careful during the Ember season.
