The Federal Road Safety Corps in Ebonyi has advised the public to disregard the widely-held notion that the Ember months are different from other months of the year.
The Sector Commander of the Corps in the state, Anthony Okore, gave the advice on Saturday in Abakaliki while flagging-off the 2021 Ember months road safety campaign.
Okore said that human factors create the notion of negativity during the last four months of the year and if prevented, would prove that such months are not different from others.
“The theme of this year’s event for instance is maintain safe speed, avoid night travels and enjoy quality road experience.
“We, however, discover that during the ember months, all these advices are thrown to the wind.
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“The difference is that during the ember months, there are many untrained drivers on the roads as many want to present newly-acquired vehicles to their people,” he said.
The sector commander observed that during the ember month, most drivers overload their vehicles due to several passengers and loads at their disposal.
“They also engage in over-speeding to cover several trips, fail to maintain their vehicles and succumb to fatigue because they do not have time to rest.
“There are lots of traffic indiscipline during these periods which lead to higher rate of road traffic crashes,” he said.
He advised motorists to maintain high level of discipline on the roads which can be achieved through attitudinal changes.
“The FRSC under the leadership of its Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, is employing extra and operational strategies to contain traffic gridlocks and generally reduce road crashes,” he said.
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi commended the FRSC for its efforts to reduce road crashes in the state and pledged continued government’s support to achieve its objectives.
Umahi, represented by Dr Augusine Nwauzor, Permanent Secretary in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, urged motorists to effectively utilise the massive road networks inaugurated by his administration.
The South East Zonal Commanding Officer of the FRSC, Francis Udoma, urged motorists to obey traffic regulations and cooperate with FRSC personnel on the roads to save lives.
Mrs Chinwe Ubah, an Official of Progress Mass Transit Limited, commended the FRSC for the initiative and assured that its drivers would always obey traffic regulations.
(NAN)
