The Acting Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Dauda Ali Biu, has felicitated with Christians on the occasion of Christmas, and enjoined everyone to duly observe all established traffic regulations during the celebrations.
The message is contained in his Christmas message in which he reiterates his earlier calls for people to guide against bad driving habits that could compromise the safety of road users
He also expressed gratitude to the Almighty God for protecting Nigerians against various social and security challenges, saying the period of Christmas should be devoted to giving glory to God for His favours and asking Him for more, instead of laying emphasis on merriments alone.
He urged people to pray fervently for more grace, peace and harmony in the country and protection for all Nigerians.
The FRSC boss particularly cautioned travellers against dangers that went with road travels at the periods of increased human and vehicular traffic, stressing that people must show extra vigilance while using the road to overcome any form of carnage.
Dauda Biu further called on road users to support the ongoing road safety sensitisation programmes by the FRSC to address issues of poor attitude to road usage by people, saying such behaviour to road safety accounted for why the periods of Christmas and new year become the most challenging to the campaigns for safer road environments in the country.
He further noted that while FRSC as part of its annual end of year special patrol had put adequate measures in place and mapped out strategies to address all the anticipated traffic challenges that could hinder free movement of people and vehicles, such measures would remain inadequate without cooperation from members of the public particularly, those that travel on the roads.
He therefore, warned people against some specific offences like route violation, overloading, speeding, light signs violation and driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs which have been identified as responsible for most crashes and deaths that occur during the yuletide seasons.
He added that people must prove through their obedience to traffic rules and regulations that Christmas and new year could be celebrated without loss of lives, road obstruction and gridlocks that characterised the periods.
All road travellers must observe these basic traffic rules to ensure the desired safety outcomes, not only during the Christmas and new year celebrations, but beyond the seasons, he said.
The Acting Corps Marshal also appealed to Nigerians to cooperate fully with FRSC personnel and other security agencies as well as stakeholders in the civil societies who had voluntarily joined in keeping the roads safer in the spirits of road safety as a shared responsibility.
He assured the public that adequate patrol and rescue logistics as well as personnel had been deployed along all black spots and major highways across the country to ease movement of travellers and render prompt medical care in case of crashes related and other emergencies.
He further appealed to Nigerians to report any cases of obstruction, crashes and other emergencies to the FRSC toll free line: 122 or directly call to the studios of the FRSC National Traffic Radio-107.1fm through the numbers: 08052998090 or 09067000015 for prompt response to the distress calls on all parts of the roads across the country.
