Further to sustained efforts towards
ensuring sanity on the highways during this year’s Eid-el- Kabir celebrations,
the Federal Road Safety Corps has deployed 18,000 personnel including regular
and special marshals, 800 patrol vehicles, 60 motor bikes, 52 ambulances and 6
heavy duty tow trucks along critical corridors of the highways as part plans
for a nationwide special patrol slated for 30th September- 12th
October, 2014 with the theme, ‘Operation Eid-El-Kabir’.
This exercise which is in line with the
Corps’ continued drive to achieve its 2014 strategic goals of reducing
road traffic crashes by 15% and fatalities by 25% especially during the festive
season, has also being designed in view of expected high vehicular movement and
to address the possible tendencies for road traffic regulations violations by
motorists during this period.
According to the FRSC, the special
patrol which is aimed at addressing the spate of avoidable road crashes usually
associated with the festive season, 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 country.
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, radio and television talk shows and other forms of
awareness campaign, in addition to strict enforcement of road traffic
regulation.
Infractions such as the use of cell
phone while driving, overloading, wrongful overtaking, lane violation,
dangerous driving, drink driving, obstruction and other road vices will form
part of the patrol thrust while the Corps’ operatives will equally check speed
limit violation through the use of radar guns.
Aside from massive deployment of
personnel and logistics along designated corridors and black spots, the FRSC
will also utilize its 9 Help Areas along Hawa Kibo, Akwanga, Gwagwalada,
Lokoja, Ore, Egbeda, Mowe, Oghere and Kakau highways, in addition to the
establishment of mobile courts at specific locations across the country for
quick dispensation with road traffic offences.
Speaking on the Sallah special patrol,
the FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Boboye Oyeyemi said that the
nationwide exercise ‘ forms part of the Corps’ sustained efforts to build on
its Ember months campaigns which will be sustained through out the end of the
year to mitigate against road crashes during the yuletide season”. He added
that “the FRSC has a consistent tradition of enforcing traffic rules and
regulations throughout the year to avoid a one-off approach to road safety
management in Nigeria’.
Oyeyemi also spoke specifically on
speed limit violation “ our findings indicate that speed limit violations
remain a prevalent factor on road traffic crashes, accounting for 39% of road
crashes recorded nationwide between January to August 2014. Out of all
causative factors, speed violation, dangerous driving and loss of control which
are speed-related, contribute to most crashes on our roads” he added.
Speaking further, he said, “this
scenario informed a recent resolution after a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja to
commence a nationwide enforcement of the compulsory use of speed limiters in
all vehicles from 1st June 2015, with commercial vehicles forming part
of the phase one of this proposed enforcement”.
The Corps Marshal also said that
various forms of advocacy programmes have been initiated by the Corps to create
robust nationwide awareness on the speed limiters which has been approved by
the Standards Organization of Nigeria. The speed limiter controls the maximum
speeds of equipped vehicles and are efficient and powerful tools of speed
management. He added that “active speed limiters directly controls speed by
applying counter force on the accelerator or through the engine fuel injection
system”.
Furthermore, the Corps Marshal ‘ the
Operation Eid-el-Kabir 2014’ special patrol signifies the intension of the
Corps to do all within its powers to ensure that zero road crashes, injuries
and deaths are recorded throughout the sallah period”.
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 traffic violations.
As build up towards crash-free sallah
celebration, the FRSC still maintains a 24- hour prompt response to distress
calls and urges the Nigerian motoring public to contact 070022553772 or
toll free 122 emergency lines in the event of any road crash and other
traffic related challenges.
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