The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has felicitated with Nigerians on the Eid El-Kabr festival, assuring that modalities have been put in ace to ensure accident-free celebration.
It also said that over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics for a hitchfree festival.
The Corps made this known during a press conference addressed by the Lagos Sector Commander, Patrick Davou, who representated Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed.
The Corps maintained that it has put every mechanism in place to checkmate overspending thereby reducing accidents on the nation’s various highways.
While identifying certain road traffic management issues, the Corps Marshal relayed strategies the Corps has put in place to ensure that roads are safe for all to use.
He itemized the collaboration with the Nigeria Bar Association and State Judiciaries for timely prosecution of drivers and vehicle owners caught contravening established traffic regulations like overloading, dangerous driving, and use of phone as well as speeding.
Additionally, he mentioned collaboration with Beer Sectorial Group, which has been able to make available adequate breathalyzers which have been deployed to motor parks and highways to check and stop drivers who control the wheels under influence of alcohol.
The Corps has also set up Inter-Agency Joint Task Force to enforce compliance against use of trailers to convey passengers as well as mitigate road traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries emanating from the lawlessness of trailer drivers, noting that the Corps has successfully arrested a total of 222 trailers loaded with 3169 passengers hanging on top of goods and animals
These efforts are in addition to the aggressive sensitisation campaigns for all road users including door to door awakening among many other mechanisms.
Reiterating that the objectives of the special operations are to achieve reduction in Road Traffic Crashes, Road Traffic Fatalities and Road Traffic Injuries, Corps Marshal Mohammed said that prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered engagement in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others have been achieved to ensure accident-free Eid-el Kabir celebration.
It further informed that over 200 Mobile Courts have been set up to check
a. Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking.
b. Lane indiscipline/Route violation,
c. Road Obstructions,
d. Use of Phone while Driving
e. Overloading,
f. Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations,
g. Passenger’s Manifest Violation,
h. Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles,
i. Loading of trailers with passengers
j. Illegal use of the Spy Number Plates.
The Corps, while wishing the Muslim Ummah a happy Sallah, therefore called on the motoring public to adhere to laid down instructions to ensure an accident-free celebration.