Deriving
from the Seasonal Rainfall Predictions (SRP) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency
(NIMET) on this year’s rainy season, the Federal Road Safety Corps has
reiterated its warning for motorists across the country, to ensure proper
maintenance of vehicles plying the highways.
According
to the Corps Public Education Officer, Corps Commander Imoh Etuk, this is
coming on the heels of strategic plans initiated by the Corps to ensure sanity
on the highways during the season even as the Corps also harps on the need for
strict compliance with traffic rules and regulations among road users during
the rainy season.
The FRSC
also reiterates its commitment towards safer road use during this period and
warns the Nigerian motoring public on the need to comply with all traffic rules
and regulations, in addition to ensuring proper maintenance of their vehicles
because the vehicle condition is paramount especially during the rainy season.
The FRSC also said that every driver is mandatorily expected to fix the vehicle
wiper blades, head and tail lights, brakes and to avoid the use of worn-out
tyres.
Still on
tyres, Etuk expressed the Corps’ concern over the attitude of most drivers in
the country towards tyre care and maintenance, adding that most Nigerian
drivers have poor maintenance culture such that they feel less concerned about
the status of the tyres on their vehicles and forget that being the only part
of the vehicle that has direct contact with the road, its care should not be
compromised. Motorists are further advised to avoid the use of
over-inflated or under-inflated tyres.
In the
same vein, the FRSC recalls that every tyre has a life span of four years,
noting that the week and date of manufacture is always inscribed on the tyre
thus: 0612 (meaning, the tyre was made in the sixth week of the year 2012). The
production date code is always in four digits. The first two digits indicate
the week of the year it was produced. The last two digits refer to the year it
was produced.
While
recalling the common sight of poorly maintained vehicles on the nation’s
highways, the FRSC also advised motorists to ensure regular maintenance of
their vehicles and desist from the use of worn-out tyres and used (tokumbo)
tyres, in view of inherent traffic hazards. It stated that under rainy
condition, the grip of worn-out tyres is often seriously affected, adding that
there is danger of the car skidding and not coming to halt within the safe
distance after application of brakes. The problem becomes more serious when the
road surface is wet or slippery.
The Corps
further harps on visibility and driving under the rain, adding that driving in
the rain can be risky because one's visibility is reduced and there are usually
hazardous and slippery conditions on the road. Motorists are therefore urged to
take precautions while driving in order to ensure they reach their destination
safely.
According
to the FRSC, prior to starting the journey, one should ensure that the windows
and windshields are clean on the outside and the inside. It is pertinent
to routinely check the headlights, brake lights, turn signals and tail lights.
The wind shield wiper and blades should also be checked for proper functioning.
The
Federal Road Safety Corps also harped on headlights and advised motorists to
turn their headlights on along with their wipers. The lights should be on during
the day and at night, whenever rain starts dropping. Motorists are also
advised to reduce their speed during this time and apply the “common sense
speed limit”.
Making
further disclosure, the Corps’ Spokesman disclosed that findings in the
last 3 years indicate that speed limit violation account for over 60
percent of road crashes with a strong link to other factors such as loss of
control, tyre burst, sommersault, dangerous overtaking among other vices.
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