The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Command, on Thursday flagged off its 2020 Ember Months safety campaigns with massive mobilisation of corps capacity to tackle recklessness and emergency.
Segun Ogungbemide, FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander, said at the official flag off that the risk exposure to road crashes during the terminal months of the year escalates with increased socioeconomic activities.
“We will ensure massive mobilisation of corps capacity to tackle recklessness, emergent crash and congestion problems.
“More vehicles of different conditions are placed on the road contending for unextendible road infrastructure within a short time at this period.
“Repetition of this programme over the years have made the public consciousness a misconception that attributes this reality to ravaging demonic activities during the ember months.
“This is not true, the ember months campaigns offers the opportunity to elevate public consciousness to the verity of road traffic crashes during this period,” he said.
The sector commander said that 2020 ember months activities would feature enforcement target at the high risk vehicles and drivers categories.
Ogungbemide said that some motorists have turned the road to race course for speeding and competition that have sent many to early graves.
“Mindless speeding that have sent many to early graves, exceptions are not given to overloading, dangerous driving use of bad tyres, mechanical deficient vehicles, bad road condition and fatigue are avoidable causes of road fatalities, ” he said.
Dr Frederick Oladeinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, in his remarks, advised motorists to follow traffic rules and regulations not only during ember months but always.
Oladeinde said there was collaboration between the state traffic management and FRSC to ensure sanity on the road.
The commissioner advised motorists to drive safely and shun the habit of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Mr Titi Ogunluyi, Assistant State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), also appealed to motorists to avoid using energisers while driving.
“We have to guard our lives jealously, because any substance takenq at any point in time will change your body chemistry which can lead to death while driving.
“Let us stop the attitude of taking alcohol of any kind while driving, it’s very dangerous and pose high risk to human life,” she said.
Mr Taiwo Adedokun, Assistant State Secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Chapter, said that efforts had been put in place to enlighten its members on safety.
He urged the members to always adhere to the traffic rules and regulations avoid crashes on the road.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2020 ember months safety campaigns, tagged: “Drive Safe, Stay Safe” was in tandem with healthy and safer transportation as the nation emerges from COVID-19 pandemics. (NAN)
