FRSC, women group partner to tackle road mishaps

In remembrance of victims of road crashes, the Imo State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), and a non governmental body, Trail Women Development Initiative (TWDI), have called on Nigerians to imbibe attitudes and behaviours that would help reduce road crimes and crashes.

In a meeting held to commemorate the 2015 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, the group converged at the commission’s office to chart novel ways to prevent accidents and raise awareness to enhance sanity on the roads.

The Corps Commander of the Commission in the state, Dr. Godwin Omiko, who was represented by an Assistant Corps Commander, Mrs. Ebere Okoli, said the commission was worried by the terrifying statistics on accidents, as between 2009 and 2013, about 30,435 persons died, mainly because of excessive speeding, dangerous driving and non-observance of the road regulations.

He also regretted that about 1.2 million people— about 3,000 persons daily —die each year worldwide, 10 per cent of which are from Nigeria. He noted that since the establishment of the commission by Decree 45 of 1988, it has been working with groups to ensure that the roads were safe, urging the road users to be mindful of the usage.

President of TWDI, Mrs. Adaora Ijezie, said the body decided to partner the commission on the issue because the group, which has membership strength of about 800 women, was determined to create awareness at the grassroots to ensure that there was road sanity.

In his lecture, Road Crimes and the Right to move on Nigerian Roads: The issues Arising, Uche Durueke, a lawyer, said the day, which was set aside by the United Nations, was important to sensitise people on how best to use roads, regretting that the causes of accidents spanned from verbal provocation, horn honking, outright rudeness, aggressive driving, sudden acceleration, braking, tailgating, flashing, among others.