Speed limiter: FRSC books 1,205 vehicles

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) booked a total of 1,205 commercial vehicles across the country on Wednesday for not installing the speed limiting device (SLD).
Its Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, who stated this in Abuja on Thursday, said some of the defaulting vehicle owners were fined instantly while others were charged to mobile courts.
“ For yesterday (Wednesday), about 1,205 commercial vehicles were booked and they paid their fines, some were charged to mobile courts and they paid and it is continuous.
“We have seen the increase in the tempo of people now rushing to install.
“I must thank the Nigerian police, the military and the DSS (Department of State Services) for the security backup provided for us, and which is a continuous exercise.
“The essence of this cannot be overlooked.
“Fifty per cent of our crashes in Nigeria are speed related; loss of control accounts for 16 per cent.
“So, if we can eliminate the issue of speed and loss of control that means 66 per cent is gone leaving only 34 per cent then it is better for us.
 
“Most of the crashes, and we are talking about lives, and the age bracket (of victims) is more of 18 to 45.
“We are really worried, and with the presidential directive, there is no going back.’’
Full enforcement of installation of the device on commercial vehicles began on Wednesday as part of measures to reduce speed-induce road accidents.
Oyeyemi stated that out of a total of 3,004 vehicles stopped for checking, only 505 installed the device.
 
Oyeyemi said that the corps was receiving the needed government support and cooperation from other stakeholders including road transport unions.
“We have the government support, all the necessary backing we have it. Before the end of the year you see the trend that the crashes would have dropped.
“Once we can get this achieved I think the country will be much better. We want to save more lives on the road and there is no going back. We need the support.
“And I must commend the unions: NARTO (Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners), NURTW (National Union of Road Transport Workers), and NUPENG (Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers) all of them are keying into this.
“If you observe there is no dissenting voice or voices because they were part of the policy initiation, discussion and implementation.
“They have also realised that all these are geared towards saving their own investments too.’’
The corps marshal said that the FRSC would soon embark on a nationwide training of commercial drivers on speed management to further reduce carnage on the nation’s highways.