The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had said that road users and commuters have roles to play in bringing down fatalities from road crashes.
Mr Samuel Obayemi, Zonal Commanding Officer, of FRSC Zone RS2 Command, comprising Ogun and Lagos States, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Obayemi said that the recklessness of motorists as well as commuters’ passiveness was responsible for most crashes.
He said: “Road users have roles to play in bringing down crashes on our roads. For instance, when a driver drives against traffic, it is just a crash that is waiting to happen.
“When passengers are in vehicles sleeping, dormant and silent when they are being driven by very reckless drivers and they fail to check the excesses of those drivers, it is a crash waiting to happen.
“When a road is under construction, it is expected that drivers slow down and reduce speed on that stretch of road. They have roles to play.
“If we (FRSC) are doing everything possible to bring down the crashes, road users- drivers and passengers, should also do their parts.”
On how reckless drivers acquire licenses to use the road, Obayemi said that possession of a driver’s license and a positive attitude to the road were two different things.
According to him, to own a driver’s license, all it requires is to pass a prescribed test put before the applicants
“That you are a licensed driver does not make you a good driver. You can be a licensed driver and be reckless. Why are they always in haste when they know the repercussions?
“A licensed driver can drink and drive under the influence of alcohol, it is crash waiting to happen. I don’t know how many times we have to tell people this.
“If you have a license and you don’t obey traffic rules and regulations, you cannot be said to be a good driver.
“We must stop these deaths on our highways by playing our parts as stakeholders,” he added.
The FRSC boss said that road users should be safety conscious, maintain a safe speed, be patient and check their vehicles very well before putting them on the road.
According to him, motorists should stop causing pains to families, friends, neighbours, their relatives as well as those of their passengers through recklessness which have been causing avoidable fatalities.
Obayemi added: “You can have a driver license and still be overtaking dangerously on the road.
“So, you can be a licensed driver and not be a good driver when you refuse to obey the rules on the use of the road.
“Most of these crashes occur as a result of speed. When a crash occurs at a reasonable speed, you don’t expect the crash to be fatal.”
On-road furniture, Obayemi urged the motorists to know that construction works were ongoing in most highways in the zone like the Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Badagry, Apapa-Oshodi, Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode-Sagamu Expressways.
He said that road signs were placed on the roads to direct the drivers accordingly.