The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Edo state sector, on Thursday said it would deploy homegrown initiatives to achieve better motoring environment in the state.
Mr Henry Benamaisia, the Sector Commander, said at the inauguration of the ’ember’ months campaign in Benin that the initiatives would include manning of potential accident prone areas and intensified public enlightenment.
Other initiatives, he said, would be robust public engagement, stakeholders’ collaboration, deployment of standby rescue teams and tow trucks for the removal of all manners of obstruction.
He added that the corps would beef up enforcement on traffic offences bearing more directly to crashes.
Benamaisia explained that available records still showed that December and January recorded highest crash rates compared to other months annually.
He added that there was the need to do things differently in order to get it right.
“We cannot pretend that one organisation can do it alone, and evidence-based decision must be made this season.
“Hence the need for collaboration with other sister agencies.”
The sector commander noted that the festive period was usually characterised by increased vehicular movement which resulted in huge demand on the limited road space.
He said that this had often led to the neglect of safe driving practices and the ultimate price was usually road traffic crashes with many being fatal.
“Therefore, the theme, ‘Drive Safe, Stay Safe’, is apt because this is in line with the corps’ corporate strategic goal for 2020.
“This goal is targeted at reducing road traffic crashes by 15 per cent and fatality by 20 per cent using 2019 as baseline,” Benamaisia said.
He added that it was pertinent to note that as the hustle and bustle of the yuletide geared up in the coming weeks, all must make efforts to adhere strictly to government approved COVID-19 guidelines.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Abe, the Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO) for zone RS 5, comprising Edo and Delta, in his remarks said that human life was more important than any ceremony.
Abe said that it was erroneous for people to say that people died more during yuletide due to negative forces.
He added that man was responsible for avoidable deaths due to traffic crashes during the yuletide as many lacked vehicle maintenance culture and were sometimes also guilty of exceeding speed limits.
The FRSC boss appealed to all stakeholders to work together to ensure safety on the roads, adding that the FRSC was not against any motorist using the roads appropriately.
