The build-up to the festive seasons of Christmas and New Year that usually commence during the ember months is often characterized by the heavy vehicular movement of people and goods across the Country.
Beginning from September to December, it is always a beehive of activities, as motorists’ particularly commercial drivers’ cash in on the situation to make as many trips as possible.
For many who embark on these trips, it is a time to catch up with family members, business activities, and social engagements like weddings or better still official expeditions that are in line with the end-of-year festivities.
The unfortunate aspect of the whole scenario is the fact that most of these trips are done in defiance to safety rules; as the circumstances are filled with lots of risk to travelers.
The risk factors ranging from insecurity, the terrible nature of roads, and dangers associated with night travel to unsuitable vehicles have become so pronounced, as these issues have led to the death of so many Nigerians.
In line with its core mandate of ensuring safety on the Nation’s highways, the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC and other critical partners such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW and the media have continuously embarked on intensive sensitization to address the aforementioned issues.
Importantly, the agency over the years has elevated the sensitization campaign and made it more prominent during the ember months considering the huge vehicular movement within the period.
It has therefore become some sort of a ritualistic exercise where the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC flags off and uses the National Ember Month sensitization campaign to highlight safety tips and recommit to its monitoring strategies to safeguard lives and properties on roads in the country.
The theme for this year’s National Ember Month sensitization campaign launched in Kaduna had the theme ‘avoid speed, overloading, and unsafe tyres to arrive alive.
At the event, Acting Corp Marshal Dauda Alli Biyu said they will work assiduously towards achieving a significant shift in the attitude of motorists to curtail road crashes during the ember months and beyond.
No doubt, the submission of the Corps Marshal is coming at the right time considering the fact that Nigerians will definitely travel before or after the ember months.
It is therefore instructive that the Corps ensures physical presence and takes proactive steps to check and properly sensitize motorists on safety tips; particularly commercial drivers who are in the habit of either violating traffic signs or plying the highways with vehicles that are not road worthy.
Significantly, the Corps must strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW and the various media house that will provide platforms to educate motorists on the need to apply caution while driving
In addition, the Corps must from time to time apply the brakes on revenue generation and focus more on enlightening and teaching motorists how to maintain their vehicles and unwholesome behaviors capable of causing road crashes.
The National Union of Road Transport Workers in particular must continue to be a willing partner in the task of ensuring an accident-free society.
Rather than dwell more on the sale of tickets and collection of other sundry dues including booking vehicles for travel purposes, they should encourage drivers to check their vehicles before any trip because it is better to arrive late and not to arrive at all.
Written by Awuhe Terfa
