Harmattan haze: FRSC issues traffic alert

THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has advised motorists to be conscious of the foggy weather condition, especially early morning and late evening mist, usually associated with the harmattan season.

This became imperative in view of the prevailing adverse weather condition and attendant road traffic challenges posed by the harmattan haze.

FRSC Head, Media Relations and Strategy, Mr Bisi Kazeem said: “Just last week, the Abuja-Lokoja highway experienced a thick fog, which enveloped some parts of the corridor between 5.00am and 7.30 am, especially the 30km stretch between Yangoji and Awawa  (near the NNPC pump station), with attendant visibility challenges beyond 70 metres on most stretches of the highway.”

He added that the same climate situation played out along other major corridors of the highways.

Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has accordingly, directed that motorists across the country be guarded to drive with lights on low beam in view of reflections from high beams, which heighten poor visibility of drivers and to use common sense speed.

Oyeyemi said with the festive season and attendant heavy traffic across the country during harmattan, “every driver is enjoined to know how to adjust their driving to meet conditions on the road or to know how to drive with high level of safety consciousness in bad weather.”

He also advised motorists on the need to embark on daily routine check of their vehicles before entering the road.

He noted that aside from the wipers, brakes, non-defective windscreen and functional lights, it was instructive to check radiators for water, defrosters and use coolant to keep the vehicle engine within normal range.

On tyres, the Corps Marshal urged road users to note that the higher a vehicle accelerates, the higher the temperature of the vehicle, which directly affects the tyres: hence the need for long distance travelers to avoid over inflated and under inflated tyres.

He said: “Tokumbo and worn-out tyres are potential catalysts for road traffic crashes.

“As FRSC intensifies its sustained safety awareness campaign towards a hitch-free yuletide, road users are strictly warned to avoid road vices such as overloading, under-age driving, lane indiscipline, drunk driving, speed limit violation, driving with mobile phone, non-use of seat belt and night trips, in order to ensure safety on the highways.”