Ember Months: FRSC warns fleet operators against speeding, poor vehicle maintenance

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists,  fleet operators and safety managers against speeding and poor vehicle maintenance in the ember months.

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, gave the warning during the 2023 Annual Safety Managers Retreat on Thursday in Abuja.

It was reported that the theme of the retreat is “Implementation of vehicle safety standards: An indispensable aspect of road traffic crashes reduction in Nigeria”.

Biu, who was represented by the Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Ms Amuche Nwaka, said that ember months experienced characteristic increase in mobility of goods and people.

He said that there was need for motorists and fleet operators to take caution against endangering peoples lives and property, especially in the ember months.

He also said that the months were a period of frenzy of activities that pressured drivers to meet targets.

“Unfortunately, ember months are period when many drivers, especially commercial drivers, throw caution to the wind and engage in harmful speeds, take little or no rest at all with its resultant negative consequences (crashes).

“It is therefore a need for them to crash their speed to avoid being crashed.

“It is our hope, therefore, that safety managers, haven ensured compliance with all the stipulated safety standards, would also do the needful to see that their drivers observe all required safety precautions of road use within this period and beyond,” he said.

Corps Transport Standardisation Officer (CTSC) Abiodun Akinlade, said there was no gainsaying that RTCs involving fleet operators with consequent mass casualties was yet to be effectively contained, hence all hands must be on deck to address this.

Akinlade, however, said that the corps observed widespread violations of the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) provisions.

He said that notable among them were poor vehicle maintenance practices among fleet operators, non- installation of the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) in vehicles with associated malpractices.

“Other recurring concerns touch on non-certification of competent safety managers in some companies, improper implementation of the Passenger Manifest (by passenger-carrying fleet operators) amongst others,” he said.

Akinlade urged motorists and fleet operators to adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations, to address the burning issues and associated developments for enhanced safety across the country.

Also, the Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera, said the commission recognised the vital role vehicle safety standards played in reducing RTCs.

Irukera, who was represented by a Director, FCCPC, Mrs Olubunmi Oti, said that the collaboration with FRSC was rooted in the shared understanding that consumer protection extended beyond the purchase of goods and services.

He said this encompassed the safety and security of consumers in every aspect of their lives.

“Every road user has the right to expect that the transportation services provided adhere to the highest safety standards.

“It is essential to recognise that road users, including fleet operators, are not just consumers of transportation services, they are consumers with rights that need to be protected.

“As safety managers, you are at the forefront of ensuring that these consumer rights are not just words on paper but are actively protected and promoted in the day-in-day operations of fleet operators, ” he said.