The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists against flouting safety rules capable of putting other road users in danger, especially during this festive season.
The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, sounded the warning in Lagos as part of his tour of the nation to inspect the level of preparedness of his men for the end of the year patrol operations.
According to the corps marshal, the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway will be free of obstruction, because of the high vehicular activities around the axis.
He said, “Lagos accounts for high vehicular density. We have about 33% of vehicles outbound Lagos and 40% drivers.”
Data released by the FRSC showed that between 2010 and October of 2021, at least 479580 persons were involved in road crashes and 67508 people killed in the process.
Over-speeding was reported to have accounted for 52% of that figure.
He advised road users to comply with traffic rules and regulations while he promised to prosecute any commercial driver whose vehicle does not have a speed limiting device and his vehicle impounded.
Other road safety violations he wanted motorists to watch out for include overloading, driving without a valid licence and using rickety vehicles for long journeys.
Mr Oyeyemi frowned against driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and advised motorists to avoid night travels. He promised to do everything within his power to prevent and minimise road traffic crashes.
He said, “it’s a presidential approval, it’s what the law says, preventing and minimising road traffic crashes. How that is done by the federal road safety corps is my business.”
He appealed to motorists to avoid driving under influence of alcohol and that whoever violates that will not go unpunished.
“If you’re dead drunk while driving, we have about 25 help areas at strategic locations, the driver will sleep, when he wakes up, we will arrange for his vehicle to be taken to the next destination and the driver will be prosecuted,” he added.
The corps marshal commended the Chief of Defence Staff, other service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police for honouring his request to remove all security checkpoints across the nation while still providing backup security measures to ensure a crime-free yuletide season.
