The Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) on Thursday said strengthening its partnership with the media would ensure an adequate flow of information to save lives and minimise highway carnages.
FRSC Sector Commander, Delta Command, Basset Eshiet, stated this while declaring open a one-day free driving training for journalists in Delta.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised by the state command of the corps in Asaba on Thursday.
Eshiet explained that the main responsibility of the corps was to save lives by preventing road accidents and not to generate revenue for the government.
To achieve this, he said the corps had deployed all necessary tools, including engaging various stakeholders and the media to drive home its safety message to drivers and all road users.
The road safety boss said that the training was designed to equip journalists with the requisite knowledge of the duties, rights, and obligations of the organisation and those of road users.
He added that the training was a platform to disseminate information to promote the right attitude and self-discipline among drivers, especially when driving.
According to Eshiet, FRSC has designed ways of tracking down offenders and appropriate penalties for the various offences to serve as deterrents.
He condemned the trend of truckers allowing passengers to sit on their goods, adding that taskforces had been set up to apprehend offenders anywhere across the country.
The road safety boss identified a positive attitude, discipline, and tolerance as key attributes of a good driver and of driving safely.
He charged motorists to show love and consideration to other road users by avoiding a competitive attitude while driving to avoid and minimise road crashes.
“Road crash is a menace, and we should all come together to combat it; hence I’m calling on journalists and all stakeholders to partner with us to reduce it to the minimum in Nigeria,” he said.
Head of Training, Ikechukwu Nwizu, in a lecture entitled, “Unsafe Driving Practices/Defensive Driving Skills”, said road crashes could be stemmed by motorists’ application of the knowledge of traffic rules and road signs.
According to him, road crashes can be minimised if drivers will avoid speeding, particularly at black spots, and ensure adequate rest and proper vehicle maintenance.
“Driving demands 100 per cent concentration, so, avoid the use of cell phones, excessive discussion, use of drowsy drugs and alcohol among others while driving,” he said.
Nwizu, who noted 18 to 70 years as the driving age, however, said that poor decisions and unsafe driving could lead to loss of lives, economic losses, and children becoming orphans.
Earlier, the Delta Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Churchill Oyowe, thanked the FRSC for providing the training for his colleagues in the state.
He noted that it would provide the necessary skills to ensure the safety of lives on the road and promote responsible and safe driving skills among journalists and other road users.
“As journalists, we often find ourselves on the roads, covering events and stories that are vital to keeping the public informed.
“Therefore, it is essential that we are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure our safety and the safety of others on the road,” he said. (NAN)
By Ifeanyi Olannye
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