3 hours ago
2 ARTICLE AD
The Anambra State sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps has advised motorists and travellers to adhere strictly to the guidelines of filling passengers’ manifest in their own interest and safety.
The corps also announced that a clamp down on violators of passengers’ manifest and speed limit devices in the state will commence from March 1.
This was made known by the Sector Commander, Joyce Alexander, during a media parley at the FRSC’s headquarters in Awka, over the weekend.
Alexander frowned at the high level of non-compliance with passengers’ manifest by motorists in the state, lamenting that the development always makes it difficult to identify accident victims, as there will be no means of tracing or reaching their family members.
She averred that the corps would be embarking on the enforcement of speed limit devices and other related activities due to the low level of motorists’ compliance, adding that the main objective is to ensure safety and sanity on the roads.
She also expressed excitement that the public engagement and collaboration with sister agencies carried out by the FRSC during the Yuletide helped in reducing road crashes and traffic gridlocks, especially along the Onitsha Bridge Head axis.
She decried the attitude of vehicle owners who have resorted to disabling or tampering with the speed limit devices in their vehicles to deceive enforcement officers, lamenting that such practices inhibit safety on the roads.
She said, “This meeting is to inform the media of the efforts of the FRSC towards ensuring safety and sanity on our roads. In the last few months, especially during the Yuletide, our efforts and collaboration with sister agencies yielded appreciable results in curbing road crashes and traffic gridlock, especially along the Niger Bridge axis.
“This is an assessment of the Command’s performance of the 2024 ‘Operation Zero Crash’ programme, and we are happy to tell you that it yielded massive results as no record of road crash was recorded during the Yuletide. We will be carrying out more engagements and sensitisation with the motoring public.
“The FRSC will commence sanctioning commercial transporters and fleet operators for non-compliance with passengers’ manifest and installation of speed limit devices from March 1.
“This move is necessary to minimise or eliminate traffic crashes and save lives of commuters in the state. We urged drivers to insist that all passengers boarding their vehicles fill correctly their details in the manifest, indicating blood group to ensure the victim’s timely identification and speedy medical attention in the event of crashes and other emergencies.
“Non-compliance with passengers’ manifest directive always leaves victims of road crashes to stay too long at the hospital or morgue as it makes it difficult to trace family members. We will no longer tolerate erring fleet operators and motorists. Those found sabotaging the implementation of the Speed Limit Device and passengers’ manifest will be arrested while their vehicles impounded.
“We have given enough time for the commercial drivers and operators to exhaust their old manifests so they won’t have any excuse when the enforcement commences.
“This enforcement is necessary to avoid road traffic crashes and save lives and property of commuters. We will have special intervention patrol where we will stop and check vehicles.”
The FRSC boss commended the media for collaborating with the Command, especially in terms of public enlightenment and education on road safety rules in the state.
She also appealed to road users and motorists to obey traffic rules and pay attention to every safety detail on the road, emphasising that the corps will be embarking on massive advocacy and enlightenment initiatives to drive its agenda of “safety and sanity” across the state.
