The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has cautioned motorists against violations of traffic rules such as speeding, overloading of vehicles and use of phone while driving during the Easter celebration.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, made the call during the official flag off of 2022 Easter Motor Park Mega Rally on Wednesday in Abuja.
Oyeyemi, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) in charge of Operations, Mr Kayode Falola, said that the rally had become imperative in view of the envisioned increase in vehicular and human movement across the country.
He said that the Corps was working effectively to ensure a significant shift in the attitude of motorists, adding that Nigerians must be aware that the frequent cases of road crashes was not spiritual.
He attributed most road crashes to an increase in human and vehicular movements, bad driving behaviour and drivers’ impatience.
“It is therefore apt to affirm that this campaign is a timely reminder that drinking and driving, overloading of vehicles, use of worn out tyres amongst others are a threat to road safety.
“Such bad driving behaviours are also threats to the state of road infrastructure at the cost of tax payers’ money,” he said.
The FRSC boss said that the above violations heightened the spate and fatalities of road traffic crashes during festive seasons.
Earlier, the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Bisi Kazeem, said that every Easter festive season provided a veritable opportunity for Nigerians to travel to meet their loved ones especially the Christian faithful.
Kazeem said that the FRSC expected a mass movement of people and goods across the length and breadth of the country during this season in preparation for the occasion.
This he said has necessitated the need to meet with stakeholders to trend down road traffic fatalities by 15 per cent.
“The Corps will place premium focus on ensuring that sensitisation is in a top gear to ascertain that vehicles plying Nigerian routes and all Federal Roads are not overloaded at all.
“We are also facilitating all processes that would guarantee the involvement of all stakeholders to ensure free flow of traffic, reduction in road crashes and also improved enforcement of traffic laws, and improved enlightenment on the proper use of roads,” he said.
Kazeem advised all road users to endeavour to drive safely to save the lives of other road users by adhering to all road traffic rules and regulations.
Speaking, the Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services, (DRTS), Dr Abdulateef Bello, said that road accidents were the major causes of death in the society.
Bello named the causes of road accidents as the drivers, the vehicle and the road, adding that the most important was the driver.
According to him, almost all the accidents directly or indirectly occur as a result of improper driving, poor mental and physical condition of the driver.
“Also, inadequate knowledge of vehicle, not paying attention to the vehicle behaviour, ignorance or disregard to traffic regulations.
“Very frequently, mechanical failure, over speeding, drunk driving, wrongful overtaking are the main causes of accidents that happens with commercial vehicles,” he said.
Bello urged drivers to obey all the traffic rules and regulations adding that the best policy was to avoid road accidents.(NAN)