LASG TASK DRIVERS ON TRAFFIC RULES, SAFETY COMPLIANCE DURING EMBER MONTHS, BEYOND
The Lagos State Government has tasked drivers and other road users to obey traffic rules and regulations to stem the tide of road crashes during the ember months and beyond.
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The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, gave the charge on Tuesday at the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command Workshop with the theme: “Volunteerism Beyond Ember Months: The Role of Special Marshals in Combating Road Traffic Crashes”.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Kamar Olowoshago, he averred that some road accidents are preventable, and can be avoided if drivers obey traffic rules and regulations, adding that over-speeding, overloading and driving at night, oftentimes, are responsible for a greater percentage of road crashes, hence the need for drivers to be more educated on all safety tips.
Dr. Hamzat explained that road accidents are global phenomena that have been of concern to the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, stressing that, in Nigeria, road accident statistics revealed a serious and growing problem with fatality rate and casualty figures rising rapidly.
According to him, “The FRSC data indicates that a total of 5,181 Nigerians lost their lives in road crashes in 2018. In the year 2019 road transport data of the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reflected that 11,072 road crashes occurred and a total of 5,483 Nigerians got killed in road crashes in 2021”.
Hamzat further asserted that Lagos has had its fair share in all of these developments as it has continued to attract a large vehicular influx because of its socio-economic status among other States in the country.
“As a result, the State Government has continued to lead in public advocacy on regulating drivers through the Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI) and its sister agency, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to ensure sanity on Lagos roads as well as prevent carnage. Our administration similarly introduced a technology-driven device called Traffic Management Solution (TMS) essentially to help clamp down traffic violators for safety purposes and ease traffic gridlocks”, the Deputy Governor stated.
Earlier in his address, the FRSC Lagos Sector Commander, Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide, recalled the old days when the Special Marshal attracted so many committed volunteers, who were ready to contribute their quota to traffic management with professionalism and integrity.
Ogungbemide evoked the esprit de corps among Corp Marshals that were ready to serve the Nation with total responsibility and unalloyed interest towards the promotion of safety culture, awareness and integrity on the roads.
He aligned with the earlier submission of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State that with committed Special Marshals and Corps Marshal combating bad mannerisms on roads during the ember months and beyond, there will be great reduction in road accidents and carnage.
The Year 2021 Special Marshal Sector Workshop organised to sensitise motorists and other road users on road safety culture towards reduction of carnage in the ember months attracted Corps Commander, Corps Marshals and Special Marshals from all over the country.
