The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would deploy 475 personnel and 500 special marshals in various highways in Edo for patrol to ensure safety during the Yuletide.
Mr Samuel Odukoya, the Edo Sector Commander, said this on Monday during the flag-off of the `Ember’ month campaign tagged “Crash the Crash, Speed Kills”.
The event took place in Auchi, Etsako-West Local Government Area of Edo.
“We have 475 officers and 500 special marshals that will be on patrol in strategic routes within the various commands and units of our zone in Edo.
“You know Edo State is strategically located; and motorists travelling to any part of the country must pass through Edo.
“The volume of vehicles that plies our roads are so enormous that we need to be proactive to ensure the roads are safer for the people during this festivity,” he said.
Odukoya, who advised motorists to always plan their journeys to reduce accidents, urged them to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy before embarking on any trip.
“Motorists should not overload their vehicles and should also not travel at night because of insecurity to ensure hitch-free journey,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mr Moses Bature, the FRSC unit commander in Auchi, said the campaign was geared toward educating the public on safe driving during and after the `ember’ month.
“The essence of the public enlightenment is to bring road traffic crash on its knees as road traffic crash has been a cankerworm to most families over the years.
“ However, it can be avoided if drivers obey traffic laws,” he said.
Bature said that motorists still engaged in overloading their vehicles and violating traffic rules.
He said that the unit had intensified its enforcement on overloading and speeding, especially, in this `ember’ months. (NAN)