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Impatient motorists, cause of traffic snarls – FRSC
By UKOHA KALU
Saturday, July
29, 2006
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| Photo:
SunNews Publishing |
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The Zonal Commander, Zone 2 Headquarters, Lagos, Mr. Eloka
Anyaoku (ACM) of the Federal Road Safety Commission has flayed
the growing insensitivity and the impatience of motorists
on our roads, especially in Lagos.
According to him containing the menace of these undisciplined
drivers on the road and the carnage they cause has become
a big challenge which is though not insurmountable.
The FRSC, he says to a very great extent, has reduced the
traffic jam that usually occurs during the monthly services.
“As a matter of fact during the last two Holy Ghost
night services the efforts of our men yielded very positive
results that traffic congestion on the road was barely seen.
We shall continue in our efforts to make traffic jam during
Holy Ghost nights a thing of the past.”
Highlighting the strings of successes recorded by the FRSC,
Mr. Anyaoku added that the: “Operation Line Storm,”
flagged off by the Assistant Corps Marshal Operations, Engineer
B. O. Oyeyemi on behalf of the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive
of F.R.S.C. General A. H. Hananiya (rtd) mni on July 10, 2006,
in Lagos, would be a continuous exercise in this zone.
According to him: “ During the one week the exercise
lasted, we held special patrols to cover all traffic routes
in Lagos namely; Lagos-Ibadan express road, Epe-Ajah-V.Island
axis, Apapa-Mile 2-Badagry axis, Lagos Mainland-Oshodi-Ikeja
axis, Abule Egba-Ota-Abeokuta express road axis and the Sagamu-Ijebu
Ode express road axis.”
The operation, he emphasized, is one of the many ways through
which the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the commission
tries to reposition F.R.S.C and bring to limelight the activities
of the Commission.
Apart from bringing the activities of the commission to limelight
he said the other reason is geared toward curbing the rising
spate of indiscipline exhibited by motorists on the road.
“There are a lot or traffic offences which some drivers
commit either through sheer indiscipline, ignorance of the
traffic rules and regulations or sheer impatience.
The biggest problem of the Nigerian motorist is impatience
and this in fact is responsible for over 50 per cent or Road
Traffic Accidents. It is impatience that leads to wrongful
over-taking and beating of traffic lights. Atimes the impatience
leads to avoidable traffic jams. We all know that wrongful
over-taking is a killer any day.
Many motorists out of ignorance or sheer indiscipline will
while driving stay put on the speed lane which is meant for
fast moving vehicles. This type or traffic offence causes
road traffic accidents. This is because the essence of the
expressway is to accommodate both the fast moving and the
slow moving vehicles.
Also some Nigerians, he revealed, don’t know that: “
it is an offence to drive a right hand steering model of vehicle.
These types of cars were banned when the Nigerian government
switched over from right hand steering to left hand steering
model of vehicles. This was over 30 years ago. In fact it
is an offence to bring in such vehicle into the country. Laws
are meant to be obeyed. We shall impound any of such vehicle
until the owner converts it into a right hand steering vehicle,”
he stressed.
“We are also on the look out for vehicles that does
not carry the correct type of number of plate like the plastics
plates or hand written number plates. We are also going to
enforce seat belt violation and non use of phones while driving
among other traffic offences.
The under-aged drivers are also a source of worry to F.R.S.C.
because of the havoc they cause. They constitute serious road
hazards and bring sorrow and misery to the society because
of the accidents they cause.
We are also on the look out for motorists who do not obey
traffic rules and regulations generally.
We call upon corporate organisations to help us sponsor some
of these campaigns so that we can reach our targeted audience
widely.”
Cautioning the public, he sounded a note of warning: “
We are in the rainy season now. Drivers have to be very careful
to avoid road traffic accidents. We advise drivers not to
speed when it rains or when the road is wet and slippery.
Motorists should change their worn out tyres and ensure that
their wipers are working and the wiper blades good.”
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