By Amaechi Okwara
Asaba
The Delta state Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) commander, Mr. RindomKumven, said yesterday in Asaba, that enlightenment and enforcement were the secret behind the reduction of road crashes in the country.
Kumven, said: “High level of compliance has been recorded through the sustained enlightenment andenforcement”.
He said that the number of road crashes recorded last year December in the state was six, out of which two were fatal while four were minor comparedto the crashes recorded in 2013 where “we had much higher statistics.
“Wherever you are, you have to look at the complexity of the environment, the local content and the challenges regarding the road safety within that environment and strategies to use or localise in order to achieve success,” he said.
The corps commander, however warned people to desist from placing their child on the front seat or lap, while driving in order to save the life of the child in case of any emergency, saying that a child supposed to be well seated at the back.
According to him, “we have adopted what we called “Operation eagle eye”, which has to do with a total focus on offences. For instance, the use of seat belt for child’s safety, we enlighten people on the safety of a child, because people put their child on their lap while driving, some will put their child on the front seat as well. So, we educate them on the danger associated with it.”
Kumven said that “FRSC was paying serious attention to over loading, saying that overloading was one of the principal reasons responsiblefor road crashes in the country.
Once your vehicle is impounded for overloading, we will not allow you to carry the same overload out of our premises. You must off-load them before taking your vehicle.
If your vehicle is also impounded for overloading it with passengers, we will make sure that the passengers are dropped and allow you to go with the normal passengers.” FRSC boss said.