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Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s expansive road development endeavour has gained the support of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which envisions improved road safety and a reduction in accidents in the state as a result.
The FRSC Sector Commander, Anambra, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, stated this at the commencement of the 2023 Ember Months Safety Campaign, on Thursday in Onitsha, with the theme – ‘Speed Thrills But Kills, Drive Responsibly and Avoid Overloading’.
Irelewuyi said: ‘In Nigeria, available statistics show that more than 60 per cent of road traffic crashes are due to speeding.’
‘One of the things that make people go above the speed limit is when they are delayed due to bad roads. When the roads are bad, motorists encounter delay in travel time.’
‘If the roads are good, people can plan their travel and there will be no need to over speed. I want to commend Gov. Soludo who had diligently embarked on fixing the roads in all the nooks and crannies of the state.’
Read also: FRSC Mourns Victims Of Anambra Road Crash, Calls For Measures
‘I believe that the road construction and rehabilitation are efforts and support for road safety because they will help to curb speed violation and crashes on our roads,’ he said.
According to the Sector Commander, the Ember months campaign’s primary objective is to educate road users about the importance of safe driving, the avoidance of overloading, and the adoption of a safer road culture to mitigate road accidents.
He elaborated on the Command’s tactics, which involve the incorporation of technology such as Radar Guns for speed measurement and Alcolizer for assessing drug and alcohol levels in drivers.
‘For these Ember months, the Command is stepping up public enlightenment activities in motor parks, media as well as patrol enforcement activities across the state.’
‘This is because we usually have upsurge in traffic volume and there are usually increase in road traffic crashes. We urge motorists to cooperate with the corps as we work to reduce the rate of fatalities in the state,’ he said.
The Governor, in his comments, highlighted that a vast majority, specifically 90 percent, of road crashes were attributable to preventable human mistakes.
Governor Soludo, represented by Mrs. Patricia Igwebuike, the state Commissioner for Transportation, called on drivers to cooperate with the government and FRSC by following traffic rules.
‘We all have a role to play to ensure our roads are safe. Use your seatbelts, do not drink and drive, do not speed or overtake anyhow, check your vehicles before you hit the road and children should not be allowed to sit in front.’
‘If we can adhere to these safety rules, it will reduce road accidents on our roads,’ he said.
