By Ibironke Ariyo
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed, has warned against night trips, describing such travels as unsafe and utterly dangerous.
The Corps Marshal gave the warning in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide on Thursday in Abuja.
Mohammed warned fleet operators, other commercial drivers and regular night driving customers, including private vehicle owners, to refrain from doing so in the future.
The FRSC official, who spoke at length about why night driving should be avoided, said he warns him was due to hazards, risks, and increased deaths caused by nightly road accidents.
The Commissioner of Police observed the numerous hazards associated with night driving, including reduced visibility, driver fatigue, fell asleep at the wheel, reckless driving, overload, over-speed, and other risks that increase the risk of accidents.
He argued that traffic accidents that occur at night are more deadly than those occurring during the day.
In your opinion, night driving poses a significant risk to road users.
“This is due to reduced visibility, driver’s fatigue, sleeping on wheels, speed, and other factors that increase the risk of accident.
“Make sure you avoid overnight trips, it’s not just dangerous, it’s absolutely dangerous.
“This alert became necessary in the wake of the recent reports of a number of fatal accidents that occurred overnight, in which several road users died and others were injured in varying degrees.”
The Commissioner of Police lamented that only on September 8th had an avoidable fatal accident in Lapai in the state of Niger where four vehicles were stuck in a hell that killed 37 people instantly.
According to him, this accident occurred due to a multi-factor conjugation, namely speeding and fatigue. We haven’t recovered from the crash of the Lapai crash yet.
“On Thursday, Sept. 12, another accident occurred, which resulted in the death of 18, also due to night trips. The report of information services shows that most fleet operators and other vehicle owners, including private vehicle owners, who are addicted to night driving, do so for selfish financial reasons.
“Also, unnecessary overload of vehicles with animals, passengers, and merchandise to avoid arrest for FRSC patrol teams.
“While the FRSC cannot legally ban night trips, we strongly recommend that those who practice this practice to re-evaluate their options and plan their travels during the day.
“This is also due to the difficulties in providing ER to drivers engaged in nightly accidents outside of the FRSC emergency areas,” he chilled.
CM warned passengers whose trips can wait until the next day to avoid the temptation that can lead them to sponsor fleet operators at night.
He also warned that these deaths are not only avoidable and avoidable, but also completely unacceptable, which is why everyone should take precautions.
The head of the FRSC reiterated the force commitment to ensuring safety on Nigerian roads and called on the public to cooperate in their efforts.
