The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has cautioned Nigerians, especially youths on the dangers of boarding commercial vehicles on highways when embarking on long journeys.

Commanding Officer of FRSC Zone 9, Mr. Francis Udoma, gave the warning on Saturday in Enugu when he spoke with newsmen.

Udoma said that boarding commercial vehicles at designated parks gave passengers the opportunity to do proper documentation or registration for the journey as they’d fill the manifest form.

He said passengers also have the opportunity of collecting due receipts that have the contact and other addresses of the transport company and the vehicle used.

“If you board commercial vehicle on the highway, there are many dangers associated with it; first, is that when the driver drives recklessly or displays bad road habits you have no one to complain to.

“Two, if the driver decides to stop on the way or the vehicle breaks down, you have no one to complain to and it will be difficult for the driver to trans-load the passengers.

“Third, if you peradventure enter a “one-chance’’ vehicle, they will rob you of all your belongings and you have no one to complain to or to seek redress from.

“Fourthly, that commercial vehicle you are boarding along the road might turn out to be a vehicle carrying candidates for ritual sacrifice and manipulation.

“Lastly, if there is an accident involving the vehicle you entered on the roadside, be sure that nobody can trace the identity of the passengers, driver or where the vehicle is coming from.

“So, it might take a long while to get proper medical attention or help if there is no Good Samaritan or law enforcement agencies like the FRSC around the vicinity where the accident occurred,’’ he said.

Udoma, who is in-charge of Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, appealed to transport companies and drivers to desist from embarking on night journeys.

He noted that there was high tendency of drivers on night journeys to fall asleep at the wee hours of the day when the temperature is low and the driver is exhausted.

“The FRSC is seeking assistance from transport companies and drivers to stop all forms of night journeys, especially as the year draws to an end.

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“Plan the journey early and leave early aiming at your destination before nightfall.

“Where the journey is more than 12 hours or thereabout, when it is night and it is getting late stop the journey and find a place to spend the night and continue the journey the following morning,’’ he added.