The Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) has said that over 120 lives were lost to tanker crash within five months, adding that this also represents 22 percent of road accidents in Nigeria.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) has said that over 120 lives were lost to tanker crash within five months, adding that this also represents 22 percent of road accidents in Nigeria.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the maiden training programme for Petroleum Tanker Drivers, (PTD) held in Lagos yesterday , Corps Narshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi said that activities of tanker drivers across the country in recent months have increasingly attained an unenviable status and have become a source of concern to all road safety stakeholders.
Oyeyemi noted that the current development was particularly worrisome when victims of the crashes fall within the productive age of the national population which according to him portends great economic implications for the country.
“Today’s event is therefore, one of the practical steps that FRSC as the lead agency for the safety management and administration the country is taking to address the challenge and bring the menace under control.
“It is also instructive to note that this intervention strategy has been fashioned out to particularly curtail the menace which tanker drivers have brought to the nation in recent time.”
He disclosed that the training programme will complement the intensive patrols, strict enforcement of traffic regulations as well as robust public enlightenment programme being pursued to bring the situation under normalcy.
He explained that the recertification programme was part of the Commission’s plans to ensure that the major players in the haulage of goods are sufficiently equipped with requisite training to drive their trucks safely on the roads.
The FRSC boss also warned tanker drivers to adequately manage their health condition and guard against all forms of health hazards such as high blood pressure, poor eye sight and diabetics which are often associated with fatal road accidents .
He disclosed that from the month of September this year, the Commission will commence the enforcement of ensuring that every commercial vehicle is fitted with speed limiting device.
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