Lagos – Mr Saddiq Abdulraham, Unit Commander, Lagos Island Area Command, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Thursday urged commercial bus drivers to drive carefully, especially during the festive season.
Abdulraham said this at a sensitisation programme for commercial drivers on safety at Idumota Central Market, in Lagos Island Local Government Area.
He urged drivers to be more careful at this period, as many people would be travelling to their various villages and towns to see their relations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that that free medical tests were carried out on the drivers at the event to determine their efficiency while on the wheels.
“The free medical test is to ascertain their health status and enlighten them on necessary precautions they should take before embarking on a journey,’’ Abdulraham said.
He said that many drivers of commercial vehicles were reckless because they did not go to driving schools.
“Accidents are either caused by human or mechanical error and FRSC is doing everything in ensuring that accidents are reduced to the barest minimum.
“Lane indiscipline, over-speeding, violation of traffic laws and bad tyres are major reasons accidents occur on the highway,’’ he said.
Abdulraham warned drivers to ensure they have valid licences, as mobile courts had been set up by FRSC to prosecute offenders.
Dr Gethrude Bassey, Head of Medical team, Nigeria National Petroleum (NNPC), said most commercial drivers operate without observing their medical status, which has a major contribution to road accidents in the country.
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Bassey said that most of the drivers had different ailments, but failed to recognise it.
“A lot of drivers are having high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes among other disease.
“We conduct hypertension test, eye test, blood pressure test, diabetes, among others.
“The medical team from the NNPC collaborates with FRSC to ensure that drivers are medically fit before approaching the road which will reduce road accidents,’’ Bassey said.
Mr Babajide Lawal, Head, e-marketing, International Energy Insurance, urged drivers to obey road signs and drive carefully to ensure they are alive during and after the Yuletide.
Lawal also advised commercial drivers to get their vehicles insured because of eventualities that might occur as a result of human error.
“We are supporting the FRSC awareness campaign in ensuring that road traffic crash is reduced by 50 per cent by 2020.
“We support the FRSC as a way to give back to the public,’’ Lawal said. (NAN)