*The Federal Road Safety Corps urges the motorists and other road users to avoid travelling at night, and be careful of ongoing road construction sites to avert crashes in the country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Road Safety Corps has restated the need for provide adequate information to all road users and address traffic issues during the approaching Christmas and New Year celebrations across Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect gathered Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of FRSC, said this during the end of the year strategy session for Corps operators Wednesday, December 8, 2021, in Abuja, FCT.

The theme of the year 2021 end of the year special patrol operations is “Maintain Safe Speed, Avoid Night Travels, and Enjoy Quality Road Experience”.

FRSC patrol vehicles

Dr. Oyeyemi directed all construction companies to put adequate road signs at every ongoing road construction and rehabilitation site in order to curb road traffic crashes in the country during the ‘Ember Months’, agency report said.

The FRSC Chief also stated such construction firms are required to provide adequate information to all road users and check traffic issues during the times of the annual celebrations nationwide.

He further noted that the directives has become necessary as the end of the year patrol operations would commence from December 15 to January 15, 2022.

Education, Enlightenment, and Advocacy were the major measures the corps would use in addressing road traffic crashes in the ember months, Oyeyemi stated.

He as well said that Corps was looking at reducing the speed during the end of the year patrol operations, and also advised the public to be careful while on the highways in Nigeria.

According to him, the public need to avoid travelling at night, and be careful of road construction ongoing in the country.

Oyeyemi said: “There is the need to be careful because the government promised to fix the roads and a lot is going on all over the country on our roads. This is highly commendable by the government so we need to sensitise the road users.

“We are going on aggressive education, advocacy and enlightenment because from 15th December to 15th January, we will ensure that officers and men are mobilised during this period to ensure that our roads are safe and ensure there is free flow of traffic.”

He noted: “The corps will also get the construction companies to display these signs to effect warnings, especially at night with adequate warnings that construction work is going.

“These signs are important because when someone is travelling at night, safety can be guaranteed and we also want to appeal to road users to plan their journey before embarking on it.”

The public, however, needs to support the Corps as the government had done its own part to ensure roads were getting better with the ongoing constructions, he stated.

Oyeyemi also advised motorists on maintaining speed limit, stressing the Corps would not hesitate to impound vehicles without the speed limit device during the yuletide season.

“Officers would impound vehicles without the speed limit device. 50 percent of crashes are as a result of speed and it is worrisome.

“Also, tankers and trailers must keep to the appropriate lane. They must ensure there is a fire extinguisher and drivers must have their original driver’s licenses.

“Photocopies of other vehicle documents would be allowed, but original driver’s license is very important.

“So, if you are caught with an expired driver’s license, your vehicle will be impounded,” he stressed.