By Egbe Attah, Otukpo
Members of the public have been urged to speak up against reckless driving as road crashes continue to claim lives.
The Otukpo Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC, Assistant Commander of Corps, Fatima Haliru, made the call on Thursday in Otukpo, Benue State during the flag off the 2024 ember months safety campaign in the area.
In a lecture entitled : “Speak Up Against Reckless Driving… Crashes Kill More Passengers Than Drivers”, Commander Haliru, decried the high rate of deaths and injuries among the populace as a result of reckless driving on the roads.
She pointed out that the act which involves overspending, tailgating, wrongful overtaking , driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol as well as overloading needs to be stopped and charged the public to rise up against it to avert further calamities.
“Reckless driving is a growing concern on our roads, contributing to thousands of crashes, injuries and fatalities every year.This behaviour not only endangers the reckless driver, but kills more passengers, pedestrians and other motorists.
“It is crucial to address this issue through public education/enlightenment, enforcement and community involvement
“If your driver is not driving well, ask him to drop you”, she said
She revealed that this year alone, Otukpo and its environs have recorded twelve (12) road traffic crashes, involving 136 people with 11 persons killed and 66 persons injured as a result of road crashes occasioned by reckless driving.
The officer observed that, to mitigate against road crashes in Otukpo, her unit has embarked on various strategies such as carrying out road safety campaigns in schools, religious centres, motor parks as well as intensifying their patrol operations and prosecution of traffic offenders among others.
Speaking, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, Maxwell Ogiri represented by his Vice, Margaret Efada, commended the Otukpo FRSC Unit for the public lecture, stressing that Otukpo needs more of such safety education.
He expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with the Federal Road Safety Corps, urging motorists to avoid acts that induces reckless driving.
On his part, the Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP Ezekiel Imoh, commended FRSC for the good job while advising drivers and other road users to always obey traffic rules to stay alive.
The highlight of the event which had all the transport unions, FRSC sister agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the area in attendance was a lecture and practical demonstration of fire fighting mechanism by men of the Federal Fire Service, Otukpo
