Commercial drivers in Abia State have been urged to prepare for free vision and high blood pressure tests from the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC.
Mr Paul Ugwu, the Abia State Sector Commander of FRSC, told Vanguard, that the gesture was part of the Corps’ strategies to minimise road crashes during the “ember months”.
He said that the corps would on Tuesday, flag off its “ember months” safety campaign to sensitise motorists on safety rules ahead of the Yuletide.
Giving the theme of this year’s campaign as:” Maintain Speed, Avoid Night Travels and Enjoy Quality Road Experience”, the FRSC boss identified overspending as the leading cause of road crashes in the country.
He said that the target of the campaign which would be done in collaboration with sister security agencies was to reduce road crashes by 15% and fatality by 20%.
“This is targeted at reducing traffic tragedies to the barest minimum”, he said.
He disclosed that ambulances would be deployed and positioned along critical corridors of the state during the “ember months to ensure road accident victims are attended to within five minutes”.
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The FRSC boss advised motorists especially passenger- vehicles against night travels saying that statistics have shown that most road crashes occur at night.
He also advised motorists to ensure they possess valid driver’s license and vehicle documents, warning that road traffic offenders especially those guilty of lane indiscipline, overloading, drunk-driving, using a mobile phone while on the wheel risk prosecution at the mobile court during the season.
The FRSC boss who also threatened to impound mechanically deficient vehicles advised motorists to ensure they have to sound spare tyres to avoid getting stranded on the way.
“Your spare tyre should be your best tyre, not anyhow tyre”, he advised.
He said that contrary to perceptions in some quarters, the corps is not all about catching road traffic offenders but sometimes conduct free safety checks and offer advice without booking offenders.
