FRSC educates students on reducing rate of road crashes

Oyeyemi who was represented by the FCT Sector Commander, Samuel Ochi, decried the number of students killed daily on the highways.

He said that if students were educated to caution other road users, the rate of such crashes would be reduced to the barest minimum.

“Students between the age of 10 to 40 are largely affected when there is a crash on the highway. They are involved in road use on a daily basis particularly when schools are in session,” he said.

This, Oyeyemi said was part of the reasons to get secondary school students educated on road safety codes.

“Catching them young is a function that has been known over the years to be very effective in correcting the issue of road safety in the country.

“That is why the corps has made it necessary to “Catch-Them-Young” through the Road Safety Clubs. The point is that before reaching the age of driving, they have knowledge of what to do on the use of the road so that they are responsible to tell others who have bad road attitudes.”

Similarly, Director Road Traffic Services, FRSC, Abdul-Lateef Bello, noted that “road crash is the next killer of persons after poverty.”

Bello who was represented by Chief Road Traffic Officer Kayode Oyebode early education of students on road regulations would reduce crashes.

On his part, President of ATCN, Ishaku Bamaiyi, said the club was registered in June 2009 to campaign for road safety, to create awareness of environmental matters and health services.

“The club first became an affiliate of the Mobility Arm of The Federation International de L’ Automobile (FIA) for its operations in accordance with Articles 3.2 of the FIA Statutes,” he said.

He noted that the club would train about 500 pupils on road safety topics by FRSC and Green Light.

“In furtherance to this campaign, on June 4, 100 drivers will be trained on school zones, to promote awareness on road signs; especially the Zebra Crossing in front of schools and other locations,” he said.

Also, Executive Director of GreenLight Initiative, Simon Obi, said the rate at which students are involved in crashes was alarming.

“It has been established that such reoccurrence could be attributed to their inadequate knowledge, awareness, and information about the impact of road traffic crashes.”

“This has hampered their safety on the road. There is no doubt that these young people also have a role to play in ensuring that they are protected from road traffic crashes as they make use of the road,” he said.