The Federal Road Safety Commission, says it will conduct vision acuity test on commercial drivers to determine those with defective eyesight.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, said this on Thursday in Ilorin during the 2018 Ember Months Campaign tagged: “Safe Driving Saves Lives.”
Oyeyemi, who was represented by the Sector Commander in Kwara, Mr Uche Wihioka, attributed the higher number of crashes during the ember months to increased daily trips by commercial drivers without taking a rest.
” The FRSC is firm with its campaigns for safe motoring environment and this has driven the corps to map out strategies to achieve the reduction of Road Traffic Crashes(RTC) by 15% and fatalities by 25% on yearly basis.
“The resolve of the corps as of today is to use the media and all public enlightenment platforms to dispel erroneous beliefs and to proffer a way forward for the reduction of RTC through its campaigns.
” The corps is going to be strict on its conduct of vision acuity test to make sure all drivers on the roads do not have defective eyesight.
” The responsibility equally falls on other traffic agencies to collaborate with the FRSC to achieve this,” he said.
He said that operational strategies lined up for 2018 ember months campaigns were to enforce safe driving to save lives.
“There is need for drivers to have their licence, highway codes and the need to change from old number plates to new number plates for uniformity of the corps licensing scheme and this can be achieved with cooperation of all road safety stakeholders.
” Enforcement programmes shall be running concomitantly with the enlightenment campaigns, especially Operation Cobra, which was initiated to curb specific offences.
“Some of the offences include traffic light violation, drunk driving, dangerous driving, use of phone while driving and route violation.
“ The purpose of all these is to ensure sanity on the roads.
“Let me use this opportunity to inform participants present that the weather is fast changing, hence the need to make sure the headlamps are in working condition in case of low visibility,” he said.
Mr Babtunde Bello, the Chief Executive Officer of Kwara Road Transport Management Agency, commended the FRSC for ensuring safer roads in the state.
He implored all road users to uphold and sustain the road safety measures put in place by the FRSC while promising the continued support of the state government.
In his remarks, Mr Abdulrahman Olayinka, the Chairman of the Road Transport Employer’s Association of Nigeria, warned drivers to refrain from violating traffic rules.
He pledged the continued support of the association to the commission.
The Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Aliyu Rasheed, commended the Federal Government for the improved condition of roads across the country.
He said the union was committed to partnering with the commission to ensure safer roads.
