The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the
Federal Road Safety Corps, Osita Chidoka has said that plans have been
concluded for the publication of states’ rating on road safety management as
part of measures to instigate improved investment and engagement of states in
the country, in road safety matters.
Reacting to questions from media correspondents on
the Corps’ monitoring of the Operation Zero Tolerance activities in all the
states of the Federation, the Corps Marshal said “the nationwide patrol is going
on simultaneously with the monitoring of road crash pattern in various states
during the yuletide but we will soon publish the states’ rating in this
direction”
According to him, the rating which is being handled
by a constituted committee, will make public, the performance of the various
states on road safety management to stimulate public consciousness and improved
investment on road safety matters at the state level.
Speaking further, Chidoka who was on the
Onitsha-Asaba highway to distribute safety handbills to motorists as part of
the 2nd phase of the Operation Zero Tolerance special patrol, said
that in comparison with 2012, the 2013 exercise has so far, witnessed a
downward trend in road crashes and injured persons with attendant increase in
number of road crash victims who were rescued alive without injuries.
He attributed this to the numerous initiatives by
the FRSC which ensured prompt response to road crashes such as massive
deployment of personnel, ambulances, tow trucks, patrol vehicles and bikes in
addition to the toll-free emergency line 122 which enhanced the Corps’
interface with the motoring public, in the event of a road crash.
Giving an insight to the Corps’ projection for
2014, the Corps Marshal recalled that 2013 has witnessed the introduction of
the new number plate, driver’s license, E-ticketing, building a data base on
fleet operators and total transition from analogue to application of digital
process in traffic management but 2014 will provide the FRSC with a definite
projection for enlightenment, traffic engineering and enforcement.
He therefore urged the Nigerian motoring public to
adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations as “the Corps is now primed to
restore sanity on Nigerian roads through holistic application of its digital
infrastructures to ensure safer road use in the country”
It will be recalled that the National Economic
Council had earlier directed for annual rating of various states of the
Federation on road safety management, pursuant to on-going drive to achieve the
United Nations decade of action for road safety 2011-2020 and the Accra
declaration on road safety in 2015 which seeks a 50% reduction in road traffic
crashes and injuries.
Jonas Agwu
Corps Commander
Corps Public Education Officer
Tags
Society