N3.25b lost to 62 road crashes involving 65 tankers- FRSC
From: Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, on Thursday, disclosed that tanker owners may have lost N3.2 billion to 62 road crashes involving 65 tankers in the first quarter of this year in addition to several lost of innocent lives.
CM Oyeyemi who disclosed this in his speech to declare open the occasion of the National Executive Council/State Chairmen Joint meeting of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in Kaduna, ascribed the road crashes to activities of reckless drivers, over speeding and the use of motor boys in most cases and night driving.
He lamented that most of the crashes occurred in the night as most of the tanker drivers now in an attempt to avoid the personnel of the FRSC choose to engage mostly in driving at nights.
He called on NARTO to checkmate the activities of reckless drivers, particularly motor boys who have become drivers over night.
He commended the federal government for the Kaduna-Abuja railway lines, which he said has reduced much pressure on the roads by vehicles.
He warned against overloading, particularly carrying of fire woods and cows on tankers, saying it has become so embarrassing because it is not correct to convey human beings along with animals.
The Corps Marshal even though commended the government for the nation wide rehabilitation of major highways, noted that it is when the roads are smooth that drivers usually increase their speed, and called on NARTO to caution their drivers from over-speeding.
Oyeyemi also disclosed that the Corps have conducted training, re-training as well as re-certification. Of tanker/trailer (truck) drivers programs in nine designated centres nationwide.
He also informed that full implementation of the law on the use of speed limiters has commenced in earnest on the 1st February, 2017 following the Presidential directives and expressed hope that commercial drivers who are yet to install the device in their vehicles do so without delay to save the nation from avoidable menace of speed- induced crashes which account for significant percentage of acusal factors of fatal crash cases that have been recorded in the last two years.
“As you commence deliberation, let me also urge you to address acts of indiscipline being perpetrated by truck drivers especially in lane discipline, axle load violation and violation to use retro-reflective tapes for. Proper illumination of their vehicles as well as indiscriminate/ illegal parking”.
Earlier, National President of the NARTO, Alhaji Kassim Batalya decried some government policies which he said are affecting their members and transportation business in the country.
He also lamented perennial road accident often caused by tanker drivers on the highways, just as he called on the officials of the FRSC to work hard to ensure accident free on the roads.
He pointed out that high cost of spare parts is militating against smooth operation of transportation in the country, even as he assured that his members are conscious of Speed Limit Meters introduced by the Corps, and hoping to abide by the rule.
The NARTO boss called on the federal government to review the act that established the FRSC in order to accommodate activities of the association, adding that the association will appreciate if his members could be allocated special parking space to avoid parking on the highways.
While acknowledging the spate of road crashes, he informed that the association is planning a training program for 1000 drivers in addition to that organized by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).
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