The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned road users against reckless driving on routes such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and Second Niger Bridge.
The Deputy Corps Marshal, Operations, Kayode Fanola, gave the warning while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Saturday, December 17.
He noted that over the years, the FRSC has discovered that the last quarter of the year is when many vehicles are on the road.
He further said that the good condition of the rehabilitated Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the newly constructed Second Niger Bridge should not be an excuse for over-speeding.
“Don’t forget that this very period, apart from the festivities, is also the harvesting (season).
“We know that our people in the rural areas are farmers. This is the time that their agricultural products are coming out. So, a lot of vehicles that have been parked from January to September will come out because there is work for them. That is one major issue.
“You would agree with me that if a bus is carrying 14 passengers and they are all students, they have a lot of influence on the driver. They will tell the driver to play loud music, and they want him to speed. These are factors. We are conscious of this.
“This time around, we have put plans in place to ensure that we counter these problems that we’re aware of. For this year, what is unique about it is that major corridors have been rehabilitated to the extent that speed is going to be an issue for us, and we are prepared for that.
“For instance, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is like a Formula One track now; the road is virtually completed, and all barriers have been removed. The minister ordered that they should be removed, and the contractor has removed them, so the road is so free now.
“The traffic around Onitsha and Asaba is taking a different dimension now because the Second Niger Bridge has been opened. For the past two days now, people have been experiencing a smooth ride using the Second Niger Bridge, especially those that are going towards the eastern part of the country.
“We have put men and facilities in place to ensure that people are able to travel safely and they will be able to get to their destinations on time with less stress,” he said.
Fanola disclosed that there had been a high level of compliance with the enforcement of the speed-limiting devices first introduced in 2016 from passenger fleet operators and heavy-duty fleet operators, the primary targets of the safety policy.
Meanwhile, the FRSC has advised traders to desist from selling goods on highways to avoid unnecessary loss of lives, especially during the Yuletide.
The Acting Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Biu, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Biu said that the advice was essential to prevent vehicles from running into those selling goods on the roads.
He expressed concern over the number of casualties recorded from crashes that involved roadside traders.
The Acting Corps Marshall noted that such sellers, apart from obstructing traffic flow, exposed their lives to danger on the roads leading to loss of lives and properties.
He added that such crashes could be avoided if the traders were cautious and desisted from trading along the road.