Commercial drivers responsible for 65% road crashes – FRSC

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said on Thursday that commercial drivers were responsible for 65 per cent of Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) across the nation.

Oyeyemi disclosed this to newsmen in Dutse, Jigawa, during his one-day working visit to the state.

The Corps Marshal said “Jigawa is one of major contributors of road crashes in the nation’’ due to excessive overloading and speeding by commercial drivers in the state.

“Excessive overloading by commercial drivers is the major problem we are battling with in Jigawa.

“We are not happy when we see some drivers overloading their vehicles to the extent of putting some passengers in boots.

“It is also disturbing when we see some drivers carrying their passengers together with animals.

“So we are seeking the assistance of the state government in tackling these problems,’’ Oyeyemi said.

He also warned members of the NURTW and NARTO against taking laws into their hands whenever they had problem with corps.

“Unions must respect our security and emergency agencies whenever they have issues with them.

“Even if they are aggrieved, offended or arrested unlawfully, there are many ways for them to seek redress,’’ he said

Oyeyemi called for a mutual working relationship among the corps, state branches of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and National Union of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

The corps marshal said collaboration of all stakeholders was necessary to reducing road crashes.