Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is to begin the enforcement of road worthiness on vehicles, on June 1, 2015.

The Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, stated this at the weekend during a candle light procession as part of the events to mark 2014 World Remembrance Day for Road Crash Victims at the National Trauma Centre, National Hospital, Abuja.

Oyeyemi explained that with the thorough checking of all vehicles and ensuring that they are worthy to ply Nigerian roads, there would be drastic reduction in road traffic crashes.

He said: “Road crashes are avoidable. We are starting ‘Operation Crush the Crashes’ and starting from June 1, 2015, no vehicle will be allowed to ply the road unless it is fit. We will check all vehicles thoroughly and certify them safe until they can ply Nigerian roads.”

The FRSC boss however, regretted that most reckless drivers that caused road crashes are not necessarily the victim, but that it is other road users that mostly bear the brunt.

He called on Nigerians to rise up to the task of ensuring drastic reduction in road crashes, adding that everyone should be his brothers’ keeper by obeying all road signs, rules and regulations.

While commending the federal government for the establishment of the trauma centre in Abuja, Oyeyemi said the best way to avoid trauma is to ensure that people do the right thing.

The FRSC Corps Marshal assured Nigerians that the corps is equal to the task of ensuring drastic reduction in road crashes in the country.
He thanked all stakeholders in road safety and enjoined drivers to reduce their speed limit, as he insisted that speed kills.

In his welcome address, acting Chief Medical Officer (CMD), National Hospital, Dr. Jaf Momoh, said as part of efforts towards the drastic reduction in the impact of road crashes, the hospital had trained about 100 FRSC staff this year and that such training will continue annually.

Momoh stated that the hospital has been mandated to first treat victims of road crashes before asking for money until any of their relatives surface.

He lamented that despite financial constraint, the hospital had written off N2 million debt incurred by victims of road crashes alone.
He therefore enjoined stakeholders to rise up to the challenge by assisting the hospital to pay off debts incurred by these victims.

Highlight of the event included the candle lighting, and the inspection of the newly commissioned National Trauma Centre at the National Hospital.

Meanwhile, the commission yesterday said no fewer than 1,991 lives were lost to road accidents within four years in Lagos State.
The state Sector Commander, Mr. Hyginus Omeje, made the disclosure at an event to mark the United Nations World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash Victims.

The event tagged: “Speed Kills, Design Out Speeding,’’ was held at Ojodu Berger, Lagos State.

The third Sunday of November every year has been designated by the United Nations as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash victims to which Nigeria is a signatory.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Omeje said the commission as a leading agency on road safety joined the world to bring to fore the menace of road traffic crashes in Nigeria.

According to him, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, the command recorded 4,539, 4,700, 4,817 and 3,505 crashes respectively where 534, 547, 516 and 394 people lost their lives in the same order.
“This Remembrance Day is just to bring to the front burner the menace of road traffic crashes on our roads.

“What we are trying to do is to bring to the consciousness of road users the menace of these road traffic avoidable losses.

“So, there is a need for the government, individuals and all the members of NGOs to pay attention to issues that have to do with safety on our roads.

“Even in Nigeria, we have not given safety on our roads a pride of place, all roads users must be careful and avoid speeding,’’ Omeje said.

According to him, if a luxurious bus carrying 62 passengers crashes into a river today, it would hardly make front page news as a crash of a chartered aircraft with only 5 crew members on board.

He said that if Nigerians had given the attention it gave to Ebola Virus Disease to the daily death that arise from road crashes, the statistics of losses would have been reduced.

Omeje urged the motorists to be more proactive on issues that have to do with the safety of lives and property on the roads.

Earlier in his address, Mr. Godwin Ogagaoghene, the FRSC’s Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Ogun and Lagos States, said all hands must be on deck to curb losses on the roads.

“We should have regards to other road users; the attitude of most road users endanger the lives of others.

“Let us put safety into consideration when we are on the road. So, let us join hands together to ensure that our roads are safe.

“World record shows that 1.3 million people die annually on the roads and 80 per cent of the people involved are from the middle and low income countries like Nigeria,’’ Ogagaoghene said.

The FRSC’s chief said the commission was working hard to ensure that all vehicles had speed limiting devices to curb avoidable carnage on the roads.

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