By Ojo Sola Olusegun
Kaduna
Kaduna Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Francis Udoma, has reminded motorists plying Kaduna roads on the need to drive to stay alive by fixing speed limit device in their vehicles to guarantee their safety and that of other road users.
The Sector Commander, who made the call during endurance trek from Ali Akilu to NEPA roundabout, Kaduna, as part of activities commemorating this year’s traffic crash victims in the state, lamented the rate at which Nigeria is losing good brains that would have contributed to the economy and socio-development of the country. He said high percentage of people dying in road crashes were between 30 and 45 years.
“We are commemorating with the victims who lost their lives during road crashes and those who were injured in one way or the other due to crashes and we have set aside November 13- 16 to mark their remembrance with series of activities.
“The commemoration focuses on endurance trek, prayers, visiting some accident victims in hospitals, and by extension, we will intensify campaign on overconfidence, obstruction, dangerous overtaking, seatbelt violation, use of phone while driving and overloading.
“They should remember they have loved ones who will suffer as a result of vacuum they will create. The speed limit for commercial motorists is 80 on Nigerian roads. This is because they carry several bread winners in each trip. It is now a compulsion to use speed control devices if they cannot control their speed, “the sector commander said.
Also speaking, Rescue and Search Officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Kaduna state, Abdulkadri Tukur, said there was reduction in road crashes in recent times when compared with last year’s report.
Other sister agencies that participated in the programme include Police, DSS, DRTS, Civil Defense, Prison and Nigerian Army.
FRSC goals is to improve regulatory and enforcement capacity, reduce road traffic crash by 15%, reduce fatality by 25% and improve public communication and road use education, in tandem with United Nation and African Union’s target.