Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has appealed to the public to comply with traffic laws and regulations with a view to reduce the high rate of crashes on roads.
Its spokesman, Olusegun Ogungbemide, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Thursday, that public support and cooperation are essential in ensuring a safe and secured motoring environment.
Ogungbemide, who expressed concern over the high rate of casualties on Nigerian roads, attributed it to impunity and disregard for traffic laws.
He disclosed that the corps had recorded high number of crashes and fatalities resulting from reckless driving, overloading, and mix loading.
He also said that advanced countries being celebrated for their development did not achieve their status without the support and cooperation of their citizens.
He noted that these countries have well-developed systems and laws in place, which were strictly enforced and complied with by citizens.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to replicate same level of development and safety on its roads with citizens complying with traffic laws and regulations.
Ogungbemide also said that compliance with traffic laws is crucial in preventing crashes and saving lives, emphasising that the laws are in place to ensure harmony, security and safety for all.
According to him, the developed countries thatwe are celebrating today did not just get to where they are without the support of the public.
“Any society where laws prevail is with the support of the general public, because when the laws are there, and they are not being complied with, we will have a chaotic situation.
“We need the support of members of the public to do the right thing. It brings harmony to the system and security and safety for all.
“Annually, we lose a lot of people that hitherto would have been saved if we did the right thing as members of the public,” he said.
The FRSC spokesman also cautioned against “mix loading” and overloading, which he said could lead to crashes and fatalities.
“The laws are there; let us take our time to comply with them. Lives are very precious no matter how cheap we think it is.
“Let us try as much as we can to abide by the laws, to do the right thing so that all those western countries we envy, we can replicate the same thing here.
“When we go out there, we abide by their laws, but when we come back here, we behave unruly.
“We treat our laws with impunity and that is why we have high rate of casualties on our highways,” he said.
Ogungbemide, however, said that the corps would continue to enforce traffic laws and regulations, and urged the public to cooperate with its personnel.
He appealed to the public to support FRSC’s efforts to ensure safety on Nigerian roads. NAN
