Mr Paul Bepeh, Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer (CVIO), Cross River, has advised drivers to avoid speed, overloading and consumption of alcohol before driving.
Bepeh gave the advice on Wednesday at the launch of a campaign tagged `Say No to Road Crashes 2017’.
He said that such habits were largely responsible for major road crashes around the world, adding that the event was aimed at sensitising motorists on safety on the highways.
The CVIO said that the campaign became necessary in view of the belief that ember months were largely associated with mass vehicular activities on the highways.
According to him, it is also important to sensitise drivers plying the Calabar highways to always adopt safety measures as the annual carnival draws closer.
“There is a need for us to gather once again to re-affirm our stand toward our commitment in reducing road traffic crashes to the barest minimum.
“Driving is all about attitude, carefulness, consideration and caution and we are going to put our hands together to ensure that we achieve a zero crash yuletide.
“It is my humble desire that we shall enter 2018 without road crashes,’’he said.
Mr Charles Ekpe, a member of the Cross River House of Assembly, said that the initiative of the VIO would go a long way in reducing road crashes along the highways.
Ekpe is also the Vice-Chairman, House Committee on Transportation.
He said that the assembly had been working together with stakeholders in the road sector in ensuring that commercial drivers in the state were not made to pay multiple taxes.
“I must commend the Vehicle Inspection Officers for their good works on our highways.
“In the past few months, they have maintained their presence on the highways all in a bid to ensure that our vehicles are road worthy.
“By Dec. 1, the annual Calabar carnival will be officially launched and we do not expect people to come in for the show if we do not make our roads safer for them.
“With what I am seeing here today, it shows that we are ready to attract visitors into our state for the event,“ he said. (NAN)
