Gyang Bere, Jos

Unit Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Plateau State, Hawan Kibo, Assistant Corps Commander Charles Badoohleng, said 10 persons perished in 37 road crashes involving 52 vehicles in 2017 Ember months in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Badoohleng said four persons were perished in 12 traffic accidents with 16 vehicles, involving 42 persons, at the Hawan Kibo Unit between September and October 2018.

Badoohleng disclosed this, on Thursday, at the 2018 Ember Month Campaign flag-off at Hawan Kibo Unit in Riyom council and said Ember months crashes were not caused by spirit and demons but dangerous driving.

In his words, “In 2017 Ember months, the command recorded thirty-seven (37) road traffic crashes involving fifty-two (52) vehicles with two hundred and seventy -seven (277) people involved.

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“One hundred and thirty-three (133) people were injured, ten (10) killed, but this year from September till date the command has recorded twelve (12) road traffic crashes with sixteen vehicles involved and forty-two (42) people involved seventeen (17) injured and four (4) killed.”

He said the Unit Command has embarked on Market/Motor Parks rallies, public enlightenment in churches and Mosques, early morning safety cry at motor parks and crashe prone area commmunity training on first aid to avert crashes and save lives.

“The Ember months, are the last months of the year which are associated with crashes belief to be caused by spirits and demons.

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“The reality on ground is that these months heralding the end of the year always witness increase in vehicular movements of human and goods from one place to another, tied up with human misconducts and breakdown of laws.

“These include such unwholesome practices as dangerous driving, over loading, use of phone while driving, lane discipline, wrongful overtaking, and over speeding etc this in turn results in corresponding incidences of crashes during this season.

“I employ our esteemed drivers to obey all traffic rules and regulations, maintain your vehicles, plan your journeys and ensure you are in good health before embarking on any journey.”

The Zonal Commanding Officer of FRSC, Daniel Seyi, dismissed the thought that road crashes and fatalities during the Ember months were associated with evil forces.

According to Seyi, “The Ember months is a period of festivity many people erroneously believe that evil forces on the roads are responsible for the road crashes and fatalities, whereas it is the struggle on the part of most people to travel to meet their loved ones, more trips on the part of commercial drivers to make more profit in preparation for the yuletide without adequate rest that are mainly responsible for the road mishap (crashes).

“The resolve of the Corps as of today is to use the media and all public enlightenment platforms to dispel the erroneous belief and to proffer a way forward for the reduction of road traffic crashes and where possible the elimination of crashes through its campaign.

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“The Corps is going to be strict on its conduct of vision acuity test to make sure all drivers on the roads do not have defective eyesight and the responsibility equally falls on other traffic agencies to collaborate with FRSC to achieve this.”

He said the operation cobra which was initiated to curb specific offences such as Light Violation, Drunk Driving, Dangerous Driving, Use of phone while Driving, and Route Violation will be enforce to avert road crashes.