The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has directed all construction companies to put adequate road signs at all the ongoing road construction and rehabilitation sites to curb road traffic crashes.
They are also to provide adequate information to all road users and check traffic issues during the Christmas and New Year celebrations nationwide.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, said this during the end of the year strategy session for Corps operators on Wednesday in Abuja.
Oyeyemi said that the directives had become necessary as the end of the year patrol operations would commence from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15, 2022.
Crystal News reports that the theme of the year 2021 end of the year special patrol operations is “Maintain Safe Speed, Avoid Night Travels, and Enjoy Quality Road Experience”.
The Corps Marshal said that Education, Enlightenment, and Advocacy were the major measures the corps would use in addressing road traffic crashes in the ember months.
Oyeyemi said that the corps was looking at cutting down the speed during the end of the year patrol operations nationwide and also advised the public to be careful while on the highways.
According to him, the public need to avoid traveling at night and be careful of road construction ongoing in the country
“There is the need to be careful because the government promised to fix the roads and a lot is going on all over the country on our roads. This is highly commendable by the government so we need to sensitise the road users.
“We are going on aggressive education, advocacy and enlightenment because from 15th December to 15th January, we will ensure that officers and men are mobilised during this period to ensure that our roads are safe and ensure there is free flow of traffic.
“The corps will also get the construction companies to display these signs to effect warnings, especially at night with adequate warnings that construction work is going.
“These signs are important because when someone is traveling at night, safety can be guaranteed and we also want to appeal to road users to plan their journey before embarking on it,” he said.
Oyeyemi said that the corps had liaised with the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola to ensure the roads were properly opened during the yuletide to ensure free flow for traffic.
He added that the public, however, needed to support the corps as the government had done its own part to ensure roads were getting better with the ongoing constructions.
In the same vein, Oyeyemi also advised motorists on maintaining speed limit, noting that the corps would not hesitate to impound vehicles without the speed limit device during the yuletide season.
He said; “officers would impound vehicles without the speed limit device. 50 per cent of crashes are as a result of speed and it is worrisome.
“Also, tankers and trailers must keep to the appropriate lane. They must ensure there is a fire extinguisher and drivers must have their original driver’s licenses.
“Photocopies of other vehicle documents would be allowed, but original driver’s license is very important. So, if you are caught with an expired driver’s license, your vehicle will be impounded,” he stressed.
Oyeyemi noted that the corps had been prosecuting drivers driving under the influence of alcohol lately, adding that yuletide season would not be left out as officers and men would be on patrol to address the issues.
“We are setting out 25 help areas and we have created 34 corridors. These are the areas we will be doing random checks and anyone who is found to have violated this will be prosecuted and will not be allowed to continue with the journey,” he said.
