The Edo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) , Anthony Oko, has said 37 percent of road accident that occured in the last 10months were as a result of lack of consciousness by drivers.
Anthony who disclosed this in Benin on Thursday at the 2019 ember month flag-off campaign with the theme: “Road Crash is Absence of Mind; Stay Alert, Stay Alive”, noted that, it is imperative to address absent mindedness among drivers particularly during the yuletide season.
According to him, in 2018, out of 290 crashes in the state, 113 were believed to be caused by drivers absent mindedness, which according to him represented 39%, causing 206 total crashes with 801 people injured, 136 persons death and total of 387 vehicles involved.
He added, “From January to October 2019, 37% probable causes of RTC were caused by drivers absent mindedness which led to 170 RTC cases, injuring 664 persons, killing 143 people and 351 vehicles involved and the year is yet to end”.
He, however, called for a synergy between the government and key stakeholders to ensure that home grown initiatives and strategies are deployed to make success of the campaign geared towards better motoring in the coming weeks.
Oko revealed that the strategies to be implemented to see that the alertness on the part of road users is assured and lives protected till 2020 and beyond include; massive and robust public engagement, passenger advocacy, media programme, route lining of critical crash points , going outside duty calls by erecting warning signs on the portion of the roads that are bad.
Others are enhanced collaboration with other security and disaster management agencies like EDSTMA, FERMA, NEMA, standby rescue teams, tow trucks for the removal of all manners of obstructions to beef up enforcement on traffic offense bearing more directly to crashes; to see that the alertness on the part of road users is assured and lives protected till 2020 and beyond.
Speaking through permanent secretary, Edo State Ministry of Infrastructure, Ferguson Enabulele, Ferguson Enabulele, God of the state, Mr. urged the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and other road association to assist in admonishing drivers to be conscious while driving.
Obaseki, said that his administration was focused on the welfare of the people, adding that he will do everything possible to ensure roads are motorable.
