By Tina George, Minna
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has attributed the high rate of road crashes in Niger state to fatigue by drivers and non-adherence to traffic rules and regulations.
The Niger state Sector Commander, Joel Dagwa explained this during the commemoration service to mark the 2020 African Road Safety Day and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which held at the Grace Foundation Church in Minna, Niger state.
He stated that the rate of road crashes in the state is very high as daily, people get involved in road traffic crashes, which either maim or kill them.
According to him, top on the list of causes is fatigue, saying that this sets in after the drivers have driven for hours without taking a rest.
“A lot of the crashes that happen in Niger happen as a result of fatigue. By the time a driver set off from Lagos before he gets to Niger state, he would have driven for over eight hours and if he is coming from the far north like Maiduguri, he would have driven for over 10 hours, so fatigue sets in.
“Fatigue is the major cause of the crashes we have in Niger state and the crashes are on the high side because the state has major road networks in the country. The drivers need to ensure that they are in a good frame of mind before using the road.”
Dagwa also stated that non-adherence to traffic rules and regulations is another cause of road traffic crashes in Niger state.
“It is alarming that people still use the road carelessly not minding the danger in it. Niger people still do not observe traffic light. We need to know that making our road safe is a collective responsibility and we need to include road safety consciousness in our daily living and uphold the tenet of road safety.”
The Sector Commander stated that traffic deaths and injuries are preventable and avoidable if the rules and regulations of the road can be observed.
The General Overseer of Grace Foundation Ministry International, Reverend Dabbas John appreciated the FRSC for coming to sensitize his members about road safety and safe usage of the road.
He urged the people to be committed to the safety of the roads to avoid accidents and deaths which could have been avoided or prevented.
