FRSC DEPLOYS 455 PATROL VEHICLES, 12 TOW TRUCKS AND 66 AMBULANCES FOR EASTER

Further to its 2014 strategic goals towards a zero road crash, the Federal Road Safety Corps has deployed 455 patrol vehicles, 66 Ambulances, 102 motor bikes, 12 tow trucks and over 34,000 personnel along designated routes as part of measures to ensure sanity on the nation’s highways, during this year’s Easter celebration.

Part of this nationwide engagement plans include  a massive deployment of personnel and logistics along 23 designated critical corridors and black spots such as Sagamu-Ore-Benin, Lokoja-Benin-Auchi, Onitsha-Ihiala-Aba, Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-HawanKibo-Jos,Minna-Birnin-Kebbi-Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria,Kabba-Umuoke-Ekiti-Ido-Ilesha,Benin-Warri-Patani-Portharcourt and Makurdi-Oturkpo-Obollo Afor-9^th Mile highways and 65 routes, identified for this exercise”.

This is in addition to the Corps’ 24 emergency ambulance response centres located at designated routes across the country in the FCT, Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Ondo, Edo, Osun, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kwara states, which will be complemented by relevant stakeholders such as the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Emergency Management Agency and others.

The Corps’ operational road map for a crash-free 2014 Easter celebration, tagged “Operation Easter 2014”, is tailored towards reducing road crashes by 15% and fatalities by 25% before the end of 2014 and is to be flagged- off nationwide from 16^th – 23^rd April, 2014 as part of measures to cope with traffic peculiarities resulting from usual upsurge of vehicular and human traffic in the country.

Similarly, this year’s nationwide exercise has become necessary to reduce the spate of road traffic crashes in the country usually attributed to the perennial rise in the violation of traffic rules and regulations especially during festive season.

In the same vein, the intensive special patrol is aimed at addressing the spate of avoidable road crashes usually associated with surge of human and vehicular traffic across the country and is an all inclusive exercise which will witness intensive patrols, prompt rescue services, strict enforcement of traffic rules and robust public enlightenment campaigns across the nation.

Details of the objectives of this special exercise include the removal of obstructions from the highways, traffic control/decongestion, public enlightenment campaigns through the distribution of safety handbills and other forms of awareness campaign, in addition to strict enforcement of road traffic regulation infractions such as use of cell phone while driving, speed violation/dangerous driving, overloading/wrongful over taking, number plate/driver’s licence violations and other road vices.

In the same vein, road users are strictly advised to desist from night trips and to ensure that vehicles which ply the highways conform with safety standard such as functional head/tail lights, wipers, tyres, fire extinguisher, caution sign and non-defective windscreen.

Against this backdrop, motorists are hereby warned to ensure strict compliance with all traffic rules and regulations and proper maintenance of vehicles which ply the highways as there will be no waiver for any infractions by motorists. Passengers are equally enjoined to monitor their drivers on reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol and other road vices as any form of compromise may lead complacent persons to grave consequences.

Still on the Easter special patrol, the Corps’ mission during the nationwide exercise is to ensure presence of FRSC operatives along all corridors of the nation’s highways for effective traffic management and prompt response to road crashes and forms part of the Corps’ vision to build a consistent tradition of enforcing traffic rules and regulations throughout the year to avoid a one-off approach to road safety management in Nigeria.

As usual, uniform personnel are advised to abstain from all forms of “above-the-law” attitude and strictly comply with traffic regulations to avoid arrest and subsequent prosecution.

Meanwhile, the FRSC wishes to reiterate its appeal to the Nigerian motoring public to report any road crash by calling the toll free line 122 and 070022553772 for prompt response to road crashes and any other traffic-related challenges.