By Gami Tadanyigbe
Kuje – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Kuje Unit command has cautioned school bus drivers in the area to drive safely and avoid the use of expired tyres, to prevent road crashes.
Mr Igbogbo Solomon, the FRSC Kuje Unit Commander, made the call on Saturday during a public lecture and sensitization programme on the causes of road crashes and prevention.
Solomon said that the public lecture was aimed at sensitising school bus drivers on the need to adhere strictly to traffic rules, dangers of expired tyres and vehicle maintenance.
“The essence of this lecture is to ensure safety on our roads and ensure that school bus drivers adhere strictly to road traffic rules.
“Road traffic crashes are not mere occurrences but largely human but can be reduced through conscious effort by drivers strictly adhering to traffic rules.
“All we need to do on our highways is to examine our driving attitude to stay clear of any unhealthy practices and to be promoters of road safety advocacy.’’
He identified human, mechanical and environmental factors as the three major causes of accidents on the highways.
He said that road crashes were not mere occurrences but due to negligence on the part of some drivers and use of expired tyres.
The commander said that the unit would do its best to achieve zero road crashes in the area during and after the yuletide period.
Also speaking, Mr Michael Oladeji, the Chairman, National Association of Private School Owners, Kuje chapter, described the public lecture as a step in the right direction.
Oladeji said there was the need to properly sensitize school bus drivers on safety rules as the lives of future leaders were in their hands.
“The school children are in the hands of God as well as in the hands of the school bus drivers; that is why they need to be properly orientated.
“You can be very educated and intelligent, but you can’t know all the techniques in driving;hat is the reason why the Road Safety personnel have has to sensitise them on safety rules.
“Accidents do not just happen; they are caused by road users as a result of negligence and disobedience to traffic rules and regulations,’’ Oladeji said.
The Chairman, however, appealed to the Federal Government to establish Education Bank, to enable private school owners to develop the education sector.
He added that the education sector had suffered a setback due to poor funding.
Meanwhile, Mr peter Musa, a school bus driver, in his remark, thanked the unit for organising the lecture and promised to cooperate with FRSC to ensure strict adherence to traffic rules.
He urged the commission and stakeholders in transport sector to provide more road signs at identified flash-points, to caution drivers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture featured procedures of obtaining a driver’s licence, validity of number plates and road crashes prevention.