…74 officials killed in 18 months

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, says the Corps is advocating an upward review of fines payable by users of mobile telephones while on the wheels.

Boboye Oyeyemi, FRSC boss

Oyeyemi  also said that a minimum fine of N50, 000 to N100, 000 would  defer defaulters rather than the paltry sum paid.

He spoke at the Haulage and Logistics Magazine Annual Conference and Exhibition (HULMACE) held in Lagos. The FRSC boss added that  no fewer than 74  officials of his agency were killed by reckless drivers in the last 18 months across the country.

Oyeyemi, who warned that the commission would stop at nothing to bring killers of his personnel to justice, explained  that plans were  on for road traffic offenders to  get  stiffer punishment.

The FRSC boss said, “Already there are efforts before the National Assembly to jerk up the fine payable for a phone user while on wheels.

“What is currently obtainable can not do the work, but when you have to pay N50, 000 to N100, 000 for using your phone while driving, then we will get somewhere.

“In the last 18 months I have lost about 74 lives. We will not stop at ensuring the prosecution of those errand drivers”.

The Corps Marshal said it was discovered during the last Sallah patrols that about  30 percent of articulated vehicle drivers do not see at night. “So, we conducted vision test on the highway and motor parks and we observed that 30 percent of the articulated vehicle drivers have vision problem and that is also contributing to  crashes.

“When drivers have vision problem, they should go to the optometrist who will refer them to optamlogist to correct their sight”.

According to him, a great number of drivers did not know how to drive, blaming driving schools for not leaving up to expectation.

Earlier, Managing Director of A&A Global Leasing Services, Mrs. Oluwaseye Yomi-Sholoye, had called on government at all levels to rehabilitate roads, noting that the state of the roads was elongating trips and causing untold hardship.

Her words, “This is a major challenge for haulers. We will like the Federal Government to please look into this”.