AS part of its corporate social responsibility to promote responsible drinking and entrench safety consciousness among road users, the Nigerian Breweries Plc, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps, has intensified its sensitisation programme for motorists as the Yuletide is fast approaches.

At a joint safety awareness rally, tagged, “Don’t drink and drive”, at the Ojota Motor Park, Lagos on Tuesday, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, FRSC, Mr. Osita Chidoka, emphasised that road crashes, especially from motorcycle operators, posed serious challenges to the corps and other stakeholders in its desire to make the roads safer.

Chidoka also recalled that in Lagos, a ward had been dedicated by the management of Igbobi Hospital to okada-related crashes as a result of avoidable accidents.

The corps marshal, who was represented by the Corps Public Enlightenment, Mr. Nseobong Akpabio, also called the attention of motorists to four major areas: drunk-driving, use of mobile phone while driving, overloading, and non-use of seat belts.

He lamented that despite the safety measures put in place, obvious hazards such as drunk driving/riding, non-availability of functional lights, poor maintenance, overloading and over speeding were on the increase and urged motorists to be safety conscious as the Yuletide was approaches.

“I am delighted that this programme is coming at a time of the Yuletide, which is always associated with frequent road crashes not because of witches, but because we, as motorcycle riders, vehicle owners, pedestrians have failed to use the road within the requirements for safer use.

“Alcohol-related road crashes remains a major global issue, which has taken the front burner over the years. For us in the FRSC, we have invested massively on process, people and technology through the installation of 345 V-Sat networking and inter-connectivity device to ensure exchange of information which will lead to sanity and safety on the roads.”

Chidoka also disclosed that the United Nations General Assembly had passed resolutions towards increased consciousness and investment on road safety within the next 10 years and that the programme had also been launched in Nigeria The corps marshal, while commending the Nigerian Breweries for its commitment to safety on the highways over the years, advised motorists to obey all the traffic rules.

More than 2,000 crash helmets were presented to motorcycle operators by the Nigerian Breweries as part of its commitment towards ensuring safety and sanity on the roads.