The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Command on Thursday called on all stakeholders to rally support for the corps in entrenching the culture of safe use of Nigeria roads.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Mrs Winifred Uche, made the call at the flag-off of 2019 Ember Months Public Education Campaign/ Mega rally held in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of this year’s programme is “Road Safety is a State of Mind: Road Traffic Crash is an Absence of Mind: Stay Alert, Stay Alive”.
Uche said that prevention of crashes during the Ember months was not impossible if motorists imbibe the culture of alertness and safety consciousness behind the wheels.
The sector commander said that avoidance of traffic infractions capable of inducing road crashes must be encouraged at all levels to accomplish ember month period devoid of unwarranted road-related incidences.
“It is public knowledge that the ember month period is characterised by increased human and vehicular traffic with a probable rise in the prevalence of risky road use behaviour capable of accelerating traffic crashes with their corresponding consequences.
“The corps is strongly determined to reduce road traffic fatality rate by 35 per cent by 2020 with the vision of a country where road traffic crashes results in no death or serious injuries,” Uche said.
She called on motorists to drive with full concentration and be conscious of safety while on the road.
The sector commander urged motorists to shun overloading, excessive speed and ensure to obey all traffic rules to reduce road crashes.
In his contribution, the FRSC Corps Marshall, Boboye Oyeyemi, represented by the FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer, Osogbo, ACM Godwin Ogagaoghene, urged motorists to ensure their vehicles were in good condition before embarking on any journey.
Oyeyemi also urged motorists to always remember the pains their loved ones would go through in case of their demise and to, therefore, shun excessive speed when driving.
In his remark, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said that accident claimed more lives in Nigeria as a result of indiscipline.
Makinde, represented by the Oyo State Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Bayo Lawal, said that the campaign by FRSC would reduce the number of accidents on Nigerian roads.
He pledged his administration’s assistant to the FRSC in the state when called upon.
NAN reports that the programme was attended by the representatives of Tricycle Riders Association, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Immigration, Army, NSCDC among others.