FRSC identifies reasons for increasing road crashes

Wrong attitudes and bad orientations among the motoring public have accounted for major causes of road crashes in the country.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, on Monday, on the sideline of events commemorating road traffic crash victims’ day, the Kwara State sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Jonathan Owoade, identified impatience, wrongful overtaking, night driving, use of phones while driving and over speeding as causes of major accidents on Kwara roads.

He said that an average of 72 road crashes were recorded in the last two months of September and October with a loss of about 96 lives on major roads in the state.

The FRSC boss, who said that Nigerians comply and obey traffic rules and regulations outside the country, lamented that they disobey traffic laws that discourage carnage and encourage road safety on Nigerian roads.

“Crashes do not happen on their own. They’re caused by our wrong attitude and wrong perception among drivers most of the time. People should give right of way, even when another driver has taken the wrong way. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Most people who claim right are in graveyards.

“However, the enforcement of right attitude is made difficult by some offenders who say I have a super brother. I’m connected. That attitude informed the wrong attitude to traffic rules among some drivers in the country. If people are made to face the wrath of the law, the incidents would be reduced. Like when you arrest some offenders, you will then be receiving calls from high places and prominent personalities seeking assistance. That’s not encouraging.”

To commemorate the day, the sector commander said that, “We encourage people to reduce speed to 30 kilometres per hour in built-up areas and in the town to avoid knockdown and ensure proper traffic management. We have had occasions where people knock down school children, cyclists etc. It’s easier and safer to manoeuvre vehicles to a stop when at low speed.

“We should plan our journey ahead of time and not be in a hurry, because one may not expect what could confront one on the journey. Those who are in a hurry either land in hospital and become vegetables thereafter or no more. We should take life easy. Easy does it.”

The sector commander also advised commercial vehicle drivers to ensure lane discipline by being on the service lane and not spreading themselves across the roadway, saying that the habit usually caused road accidents as oncoming vehicles may not be able to apply the brake to avoid a collision.

He also advised the motoring public to discourage driving against one-way, calling on the state government to block the opening in front of the NNPC filling station along Asa Dam Road, Ilorin, where he said drivers are in the habit of driving against one-way.

He also said that the weeklong celebration would be marked by the presentation of gifts to victims of crashes, interdenominational church and mosque prayer service, among others.

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FRSC identifies reasons for increasing road crashes