By Peter Okutu

ABAKALIKI—AS Christians in the country, especially those from the South East geopolitical zone make last minute arrangements to travel for this year’s Christmas celebration, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC has warned motorists and other road users to avoid traveling at night as well as drinking while driving.

It also warned them against over-speeding, over-loading and other misdemeanours that could lead to road accidents during the period.

Officers of FRSC at the 2016 Biannual zonal retreat at Virginland hotel, Abakaliki receiving lectures

The Zonal Commanding Officer, ZCO,   in charge of Rs9 with headquarters in Enugu, Assistant Corp Marshal Samuel Obayemi gave the warning during its Biannual zonal retreat 2016 at Virginland hotel in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

Obayemi said that the essence of the retreat was to enable the Corps carry out an appraisal of its operations so far, adding that the FRSC had been able to reduce road crashes between 2015 and 2016 within the zone by 33 percent.

He further called on motorists and other road users to have considerations for themselves by obeying traffic rules even as he also, admonished passengers not to allow themselves to be “over-loaded” while on transit.

In his welcome address, the Sector Commander, Ebonyi State Sector Command, Sunday Iyamah commended the FRSC in the area of road safety management, which include a focus on safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users and post -crash care.

“In the area of post- crash care, FRSC has over 30 percent employees who are medical experts in trauma care. It has state of the art ambulances and tow trucks deployed all over the high ways in the country even as it has established zebra crossings and road side clinics along critical corridors with continuous training of first responders along villages on the highway.

“Therefore, this year’s theme: post- crash care in Nigeria; prospects and challenges, may not be too far from the dictates of the moment in matters of road safety administration in Nigeria,” he said.

Highlights of the retreat was the presentations of lectures by officials of corps who addressed three areas: Medical/trauma care, RTC investigation procedure and justice for the dead and injured in RTC.