By Ibironke Ariyo
The Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA) on Thursday launched a nationwide Motor Park campaign to combat reckless driving and drug abuse among professional drivers.
During the campaign in Abuja, the Chairman of ROSOWA, Dr. Nafisat Shehu-Mohammed, said the initiative aims to combat the rising number of car accidents related to drug and alcohol use.
Shehu-Mohammed stressed the importance of drivers ensuring safety and protecting the rights of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
The ROSOWA President stressed that the campaign was necessary to raise awareness about the dangers of reckless driving on the roads.
Shehu-Mohammed appealed to passengers and drivers to always obey traffic rules and refrain from alcoholic beverages.
He identified speeding and driving under the influence of drugs as the main causes of road accidents and urged drivers to always obey traffic rules.
“Our goal is to protect the most vulnerable on the roads: pedestrians, cyclists and especially women drivers, who are often ignored or mistreated by motorists.
“We also recognize that driving under the influence of drugs and speeding are the main causes of road accidents.
We have seen too many tragedies caused by careless behavior on our roads. This campaign is a warning for everyone to take responsibility for their actions behind the wheel.
Passengers must hold drivers accountable. Do not get into a vehicle if the driver is drunk or reckless. Your safety depends on you as much as it does on the driver.
“Road safety is not a one-size-fits-all task. It requires a collaborative effort from authorities, community groups, women’s organisations and all road users,” she added.
The ROSOWA president said the association would offer traffic education in schools to promote safe traffic behavior from an early age.
She said: “Road safety starts with awareness. That’s why we are taking this message to schools to educate a new generation that values life and respects traffic rules.”
“We believe we must reach them early, and this is taught in both public and private schools to establish a culture of safety among our children.”
National Council for Women Society (NCWS) Chairperson Edna Azura said women’s groups across the country would support any initiative to protect the rights of women and children on the roads.
Azura urged professional drivers to provide women with the necessary assistance when needed.
“We will mobilize all women’s groups in the country to support this cause. Protecting women and children on the road is a shared responsibility.”
“Professional drivers must also learn to show empathy by helping women in need, especially pregnant women, lactating women and school-going children,” she said.
In his opening remarks, Chorrie Muta’a, FRSC FCT Sector Commander, commended ROSOWA for its relentless commitment to road safety.
Muta’a assured that the Corps will continue to value the programme, which is in line with the FRSC’s vision of creating a safe road environment and reducing road fatalities to zero.
Ishaya Ibrahim, representative of Garki Central Park in Area One, called on the FRSC administration to control the sale of alcoholic beverages in the park.
This has become a major problem in controlling the use of illegal drugs in most parks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign at Garki Park, Area One, Abuja, was part of the activities marking the 8th United Nations Global Road Safety Week.
The motto is: STREETS FOR LIFE: Safe walking and cycling.
